400-pound bald eagle statue stolen from Korean War veteran in Clovis

Fresno County sheriff’s deputies are searching for thieves who stole a 400-pound concrete American bald eagle statue from the driveway of a Korean War veteran in Clovis last week.

Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said the statue was taken sometime between 7 p.m. on March 27 and 4 a.m. March 28 from the home in the 2800 block of East Alluvial Avenue. The house is owned by a couple in their 80s who have lived there for more than 50 years. The husband served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The couple bought the statue over a year ago and display it next to their American flag. It’s been vandalized several times, Botti said. The eagle’s beak was broken off and was temporarily replaced by aluminum foil.

The statue is valued at $350, but it holds a lot of sentimental value for the patriotic couple, Botti said. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Tim Juarez at 559-600-8061 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 6:18 PM with the headline "400-pound bald eagle statue stolen from Korean War veteran in Clovis."