Dorri Partain
Managing Editor

Across the Northeast, residents are reporting that metal plaques – located in parks and even attached to homes- are suddenly going missing as metal thieves strike under the cover of darkness.  Most notably, these missing plaques paid tribute to servicemen during World War I and a Missouri Legislator.

Located at Van Brunt Boulevard and Budd Park Esplanade, the American Legion Memorial Fountain held two cast bronze plaques featuring scenes of sailors in action and soldiers (doughboys) on the other. Designed by Kansas City metal sculptor Robert Merrill Gage, this fountain was dedicated on Nov. 2, 1921 and moved from Ninth and Main streets to its Northeast location in 1959.

On Monday, April 20, Indian Mound resident Sarah Kaldenberg was walking by, noticed the familiar plaques were missing and reached out to both The Northeast News and the Kansas City Parks & Recreation to report the theft.

Kaldenberg’s post to the Facebook group, Historic Northeast Crime Watch and Reporting Page, revealed that markers at other locations have also disappeared recently, including all four metal plaques located at Cliff Drive entrances that read “Ronnie DePasco Memorial Byway” that were placed in 2003.

National Historic Register markers for the Bellefontaine Avenue Historic District, placed at several homes in 2011, have also been reported as stolen in the last year.

To combat a previous rash of metal theft, City Ordinance 180606 was passed in December 2018, strengthening the City’s rules regarding scrapyard operations. Chapter 54, section 212 was amended to include 17 items that scrap dealers would need to record or report, including street light poles, traffic signs, and historic plaques. Dealers would also need to keep detailed records of transactions for 36 months to help trace stolen items to the seller.

During the Indian Mound Neighborhood Association meeting on April 20, Kaldenberg brought up the news that the bronze plaques on the American Legion fountain were missing. Jessica Blackwell, Senior Landscape Architect with Kansas City Parks & Recreation, who had attended the meeting to present improvements in Budd Park, stated unofficially that metal marker theft and vandalism was a huge problem within Parks system properties and generally there are no funds to replace them.

Note: This article is a brief and The Northeast News will provide more information as it becomes available.