Bronze pieces from MLK memorial in Denver recovered after being sold for scrap
Authorities say bronze artworks stolen from a Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in City Park in Denver, along with seven bronze pieces taken from a nearby fountain, have been recovered
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Three bronze artworks stolen from a Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in City Park in Denver, along with seven bronze pieces taken from a nearby fountain, were recovered after being sold to a scrap metal business, Denver Police said Tuesday.
Police said because the items were taken from two memorials and sold as scrap, they do not believe it was a bias-motivated crime. Two suspects are being sought and one of the men has been identified, police said.
A large plaque depicting Black military veterans from the “I Have a Dream” monument was cut into four pieces prior to being sold, police said. A torch and angel taken from the King monument were also recovered last Friday.
Investigators learned the pieces missing from the King monument were taken early on Feb. 18.
The thefts from the Joseph Addison Thatcher Memorial Fountain had not been reported until the items were recovered from the scrap business. Some pieces from the fountain remain missing, police said in a Crimestoppers poster announcing a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. The fountain was dedicated in 1918.
Artist Ed Dwight created the King memorial in 2002. It features a bronze statue of King and smaller statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass.
Police returned the artworks to Denver Arts & Venues, which manages both monuments. Police declined to say how much the scrap business paid for the pieces, citing the ongoing investigation.