DETROIT – Detroit police are investigating after a Tuskegee Airman statue was stolen in Rouge Park.
The statue was unveiled in June and honored the late Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson.
The statue weighed around 600 lbs. and was made of bronze.
“It is my belief that this was done for scrapping purposes, but that’s not OK,” said Detroit police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes.
The statue was reported stolen Wednesday (Oct. 23).
Police are searching for the persons responsible.
“The impact of what they did cuts deeper than the one they did on this site,” Franklin said. “The history, the legacy of the Red Tails, of the Tuskegee Airmen, of his family, for those who served with him and those who are serving today. For you to disgrace that, you’re an absolute coward.”
Jefferson flew missions in WWII as a Tuskegee Airman, survived being a German prisoner of war, and returned home to become a beloved school teacher.
Jefferson’s granddaughter, Ernestine Lavergne, joined the police in asking anyone with information to come forward.
“This act of theft goes beyond vandalism; it is a loss to everyone who found meaning, connection, and pride in that statue and the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen,” Lavergne said in the statement.
DPD Rewards TV is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the return of the stolen statue.
Anyone with information pertaining to this crime, please call the Detroit Police Department’s 6th Precinct at 313-596-5640, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak Up, or DetroitRewards.tv.