LA County Increases Rewards for Cemetery Metal Theft Info

Supervisors renew and raise rewards for leads on vandalism and plaque thefts at Compton and Carson cemeteries.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 3:26am

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Los Angeles County Supervisors have renewed and increased the rewards being offered for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the people who vandalized cemeteries in Compton and Carson in 2024, stealing dozens of plaques and memorial markers made of precious metals. The series of crimes began in early 2024 and continued for months, targeting both Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson and Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery in Compton.

Why it matters

The cemetery vandalism and metal thefts caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, desecrating gravesites and memorials, including those of prominent figures and local military veterans dating back to the Civil War and Spanish-American War. The county is hoping increased rewards will help identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

The details

Supervisors acknowledged Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in Compton as "one of the oldest operating cemeteries in Los Angeles County" since the 1880s. The property owner estimates the financial loss from the repeated vandalism to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, due to dug-up gravestones and removed plaques. In Carson, the alleged thieves ripped bronze plaques and grave markers from headstones and walls of the Lincoln Memorial Park mausoleum, causing over $2 million in damages, including to a prominent bronze statue of President Abraham Lincoln and a large bronze plaque honoring local veterans.

  • The series of crimes began in early January 2024 and continued for months.
  • On Tuesday, March 18, 2026, the LA County Board of Supervisors renewed and increased the rewards.

The players

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

The governing body of Los Angeles County that approved the increased reward offers.

Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery

A cemetery in Compton, California that was targeted by the metal thieves, described as one of the oldest operating cemeteries in LA County.

Lincoln Memorial Park

A cemetery in Carson, California that was also targeted by the metal thieves, where over $2 million in damages occurred.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

The law enforcement agency that is urging anyone with information to come forward.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell

The LA County Supervisor who introduced the motions to renew and increase the reward offers.

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What they’re saying

“The cemetery contains the gravesites of numerous prominent figures and many local military veterans dating back to the Civil War and the Spanish-American War.”

— Supervisor Holly Mitchell

What’s next

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is urging anyone with information about the cemetery vandalism and metal thefts to come forward, as the increased rewards could lead to the identification, arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating impact that cemetery desecration and metal theft can have on a community, damaging sacred gravesites and memorials. The increased rewards demonstrate the county's commitment to holding the responsible parties accountable and preventing further such incidents.