Two custom-made bronze statues stolen from a business in Cerritos nearly a decade ago have been recovered by investigators assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Organized Retail Crime Task Force.
The statues were stolen on March 18, 2015 from the front of a business on the 11500 block of South Street in Cerritos. The total value of the custom art pieces is estimated to be $50,000.
Officials for the Sheriff’s Department said the statues resurfaced when someone tried to sell them back to the original artist who created them.
On July 18, a search warrant was served at the home of the alleged suspects who then revealed where the statues were being stored.
Investigators located the items at a location on the 5500 block of Cortland Street in Lynwood. The statues have since been returned to the City of Cerritos, officials said.
Officials did not say if any arrests were made or if the statues have been returned to the original owners.
However, the case remains under investigation and anyone with information is urged to contact the Organized Retail Theft Task Force by email or by calling 562-946-7270. Anonymous tips can be made online.
The ORCTF was formed in September 2023 to combat retail theft in the region. It’s comprised of three teams that investigate and arrest suspects of organized retail crimes including smash-and-grabs, flash-mob robberies and shoplifting rings, among others.