http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110817/NEWS02/708179890
Published August 17, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Historic Springfield markers stolen
By Christian Avard
SPRINGFIELD — Five bronze placards commemorating historical markers were stolen in Springfield, Perkinsville, and Weathersfield last week. Police believe they were stolen and traded for cash.
Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston said a bronze plaque on Crown Point Road in Springfield was found vandalized on Saturday. The plaque memorialized the Wentworth Ferry crossing and blockhouse site. It was located on the site built by Gen. Jeffrey Amherst in 1759-60 and dedicated in 1909 by the Gen. Lewis Morris Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.
Crown Point Road Association member Bruce Johnson discovered the placard missing after he noticed two other placards were also removed, at the Butterfield and Pike covered bridges off Maple Street in Perkinsville. The Army Corps of Engineers relocated the bridges in order to build the North Springfield Dam and the plaques commemorated the bridges’ significance to the Perkinsville area.
“(My wife and I) were out for a ride looking for birds in Weathersfield and noticed the plaques on the covered bridges were missing. On our ride home we also noticed (the Crown Point site),” Johnson said.
Thieves attempted to remove another bronze placard at the Gen. Lewis Morris Home in Springfield on Route 5 but failed, according to Johnson. The home was built in 1793 and is on the National List of Historic Places.
The remaining two placards were stolen at the Eleanor Ellis/Springweather Nature Area on the North Springfield and Weathersfield borders. The preserve covers 70 acres and is managed by the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Army Corps of Engineers Jason Farnsworth said one of the signs was erected by the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society commemorating Ellis. The second placard was also removed at the Eleanor Ellis/Springweather Nature Area. Farnsworth said the historical marker, which had been laminated to a pole, was removed.
Police chiefs Johnston and Richard Brown of the Weathersfield Police said the thieves were trying to melt the bronze off the placards and turned them over to scrap metal junkyards. Brown was certain that the Perkinsville and Weathersfield incidents are related to the one in Springfield. Salvage yards in Claremont, N.H., and Putney were alerted about the stolen placards, according to Brown. He said thieves take metal to junkyards because they can melt it down for resale.
“The bad guys don’t melt them down but (the junkyards) do. They pay them back in checks for what they bring them,” Brown said.
As for Johnston, he was not happy that historic markers were vandalized in the area.
“That’s a shame that they can’t leave stuff like that alone,” Johnston said.
Anyone with information is urged to call Springfield Police at 885-2113 or Weathersfield Police at 674-2185.
This is truly a reprehensible act that takes from everyone in the community. As SPD is infamous for being too lazy/incompetent to solve property crimes, I'm throwing down a challenge to Chief Johnston. Partially redeem your dept after failing to make an arrest on the four armed robberies this year. We're not dealing with sophisticated, intl, jewel thieves here. Hint, most likely bumbling, repeat offenders that are at Advanced Recycle now.
ReplyDeleteIf successful do not allow the criminals to participate in the Restorative Justice program. What was printed recently in the Springfield Reporter was disgusting. Grant & tax funding of some nitwit who allows convicted criminals to avoid paying restitution by letting them play with animals as a punishment. No wonder Springfield is viewed as such a haven for cockroaches.
That isn't a challenge moron. That is an expectation, concluding with a blathering rambling complaint. Cops in this town...people want them here...they want them there....they can't do this, they did do that. Just shut the f up. Although I agree the restorative justice program is a waste of tax money.
ReplyDeleteATTENTION ALL THIEVES. and relatives of thieves. Spread the word.
ReplyDeleteI just moved into the Downtown and I like the Springfield Police Department.
But, if I catch you stealing I'm not even gonna call the police.
I'm gonna hurt you myself.
This town is gonna be just fine. game on.
-Cheers to the Chief for having his eyes open on his own time.
per the above post:
ReplyDeleteI do not think threats are necessary on this blog site.
If in fact you believe in our legal system as you seem to indicate, then you are obligated to contact law enforcement and not take matters into your own hands. Because then you become no more moral than the thieves. Get it??
Cheers to ATTENTION ALL THIEVES! At least get them in close so no one else gets hurt.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a couple weeks now and not surprisingly, no arrests made. Has SPD ever solved a property crime?
ReplyDeleteCheers to "Attention all Thieves" I got your back. I live here too. Let's call it a neighborhood watch. One of us can beat the thief while the other one WATCHES
ReplyDelete