The San Gabriel Valley Tribune in Southern California reports that thefts of scrap metal have become so widespread that thieves are even stealing historic-marker plaques.
The Trails Restaurant Plaque sat only feet from Huntington Drive in Duarte, in front of the homes built on the acreage where this once celebrated Route 66 icon stood for five decades. The restaurant’s memory is honored by the naming of streets at the site after rooms at the former restaurant: Waterfall, Crossroads and Hideaway. However, the ultimate tribute was made possible by Fred Bowden Development and the Duarte Historical Society in the form of a plaque. Sadly, it has disappeared.
The thefts have gotten so bad that cities are debating whether to replace the plaques or create new ones. Making plaques out of cheaper materials also makes them much more vulnerable to weathering. And thieves are not dissuaded by attempts to make brass plaques theftproof — last year, a 160-pound plaque commemorating the Armenian Genocide was stolen from Mount Davison Cross in San Francisco.
I wonder if there’s a way to electrify that metal? Scout’s shock collar runs on a six-volt camera battery. Crank it up high enough, and it’ll shock the snot out of you. I bet a cheap solar panel would generate enough voltage to get a would-be thief’s attention….
We had a tough time trying to find someone who offered affordable and quality bronze plaques for a memorial at our local park for my brother. We finally found a website that gave us awesome service and the plaque looked great too. BronzeMarkersAndPlaques.com