600-pound Tuskegee Airman statue recovered after theft in Detroit

A monument honoring a World War II veteran has been recovered after it was stolen from a Detroit park under cover of darkness.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan made the announcement Friday, saying police worked in the area, learned when the statue was stolen and checked cameras.

He said they found a large rental truck leaving the area at a suspicious time and then went to the rental company, which stated it had a GPS tracking system in the truck.

They determined that the person who rented the truck was suspected of other robberies, so police arrested him.

Duggan said the suspect turned the statue over and confessed. Police said there were further arrests Reported by Scripps News in Detroit.

Police recovered 600-pound Tuskegee Airman statue that was stolen from Detroit park

A monument was just installed in June in the city’s Rouge Park, honoring the life of Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson. Jefferson was a Tuskegee Airman pilot, a prisoner of war during World War II, and later a teacher in Detroit public schools.

Alexander Jefferson

“This is a serious slap in the face to many people involved,” said Eric Palmer of the Tuskegee Airmen Detroit chapter. “It’s surprising. It’s really surprising.”

Palmer says Jefferson set up a branch in his basement on Detroit’s east side. Palmer knew Jefferson personally and even personalized a car in his honor.

Eric Palmer

“Meeting him from the very beginning and hearing those stories over and over again over the years was very special to me,” Palmer said. “It was they, along with the 761st Tank Battalion, who inspired Truman to desegregate the military.”

Palmer and others who helped erect the monument were devastated.

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“I am furious to stand here before you and see the disgrace that has been brought to the statue of an American hero,” said Detroit Deputy Police Chief Franklin Hayes.

Hayes says the 600-pound bronze statue couldn’t have been stolen by one person. He believes it was probably taken to a scrap yard, so officers will visit scrap yards and look for video footage.

“If a statue comes in that weighs 600 pounds, my advice is to call the Detroit Police Department, don’t pay and don’t take it,” Hayes warned. “The impact of what they did is deeper than what they did here on this site. History, the legacy of the Redtails, the Tuskegee Airmen, for his family, for those who honorably served with him and are still serving today. Shame on you for being an absolute coward.

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The field behind the monument is also called Jefferson’s Field because he flew model airplanes there. Now the search is underway to restore his monument to its place.

“You walk around Comerica Park, you have statues of the great Tigers, you have the new Barry Sanders statue. There was also a statue in Detroit of Alexander Jefferson, the original Red Tail, the legend,” Palmer said. “It’s depressing because I’m sure it’s someone who cut it down for scrap. Let’s hope they didn’t get too far.”

Jefferson’s granddaughter, Ernestine Lavergne, also released a statement, writing, “We are deeply saddened and disheartened by the theft of my grandfather’s statue from the park. This monument has become not only a work of art, but also a symbol of our community’s history, values ​​and collective memory. For many, it is a valuable reminder of our common past and the lessons we carry forward.”

Eric Palmer

The statement said: “This act of theft goes beyond vandalism; it is a loss to all who found meaning, connection and pride in this monument and in the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen. We are asking anyone with information to come forward and help us restore this important symbol to its rightful place.”

Lavergne said: “Despite this unfortunate event, we remain united as a community. “We will not allow this incident to diminish the pride we feel in our shared heritage.”

This story was originally published by Scripps News Detroit.