Nearly a decade after being snatched from a Cerritos business, two custom-made bronze statues, valued at roughly $50,000, have made their way back to their community, following a twist that seems plucked from a detective novel. According to KTLA, the statues, stolen on March 18, 2015, resurfaced recently when an individual attempted to sell the pieces to their creator, leading to an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Organized Retail Crime Task Force.
On July 18, executing a search warrant, unexpectedly found the stolen art stored at a nearby Lynwood location by investigators during the raid, they also served a search warrant at the home of the alleged suspects. As detailed by CBS Los Angeles, the statues were uncovered on the 5500 block of Cortland Street and have since been returned to the City of Cerritos. Details regarding any arrests or whether the original business owners received the statues back remain undisclosed.
While the investigation continues, officials are calling on anyone with further information to step forward. They can reach out directly to the Organized Retail Theft Task Force via email at [email protected] or by phone at 562-946-7270, following the CBS Los Angeles report. For those wishing to provide information anonymously, they can contact LA Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-8477 or through their website, thus potentially aiding the case further.
