Who would take a set of concrete discs recognizing the military branches from a veterans memorial?
The discs disappeared over the weekend from a display outside Brian Bowman VFW Post 1431, leading to a police investigation into the incident.
“I’d like to catch whoever done it. It’s really a slap in the face to all veterans,” said post trustee Gary Bell, who paid for the memorial.
The 12-inch discs had been placed alongside a cross and small American flags on the east side of the building facing Water Street. Bell, who served in Vietnam, set up the memorial last year to honor fallen and active soldiers.
The memorial was last seen intact on Friday. Two days later, Bell received a call from his sister, who had noticed the discs missing as she and her husband drove through the area. The flags had been pulled from the ground and were lying in the mulch.
Bell called police Sunday evening and officers reviewed nearby security cameras, but Bell said nothing was seen in the footage. The post is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By putting it in the paper, we’re hoping someone saw something,” said Bell, who plans to press charges if the suspect is caught.
Crawfordsville Police Chief Mike Norman said investigators are continuing to search the area for video. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call officer Adam Totheroh at 765-362-3762, ext. 191.
