Major Crimes Bureau Organized Retail Crimes Task Force (ORCTF) recovers bronze statues stolen in 2015 from the City of Cerritos. 

July 24, 2024 – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on March 18, 2015, unknown suspects stole two custom made bronze statues from the front of a business located on the 11500 block of South Street in the City of Cerritos.  The statues resurfaced when a suspect attempted to sell them back to the original artist who created the statues.  Through investigation, detectives were able to determine where the statues were being stored.

On Thursday, July 18, 2024, ORCTF detectives served a search warrant at the alleged suspect’s residence.  During interviews they discovered the statues were being stored at the 5500 block of Cortland Street in Lynwood.  The statues were recovered and returned to the City of Cerritos.  The total value of the statues was approximately $50,000.

To combat organized retail theft, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (ORCTF) was formed in September 2023.  The task force is composed of three teams dedicated to investigating, identifying, and apprehending suspect(s) of organized retail crimes.  They work in conjunction with local and state law enforcement agencies, and federal partners to address retail theft incidents.

If anyone has information about this case, please contact the Organized Retail Theft Task Force at ORCTF@LASD.ORG, or 562-946-7270.

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website https://lacrimestoppers.org.

Source & photos: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department