NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, February 1, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Lewis and Clark NHP

Four Arrested In Theft Of Sacagawea Statue

Four people have been arrested for the January 19th theft of a bronze statue of Sacagawea and her baby from the park. According to the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, a scrap metal dealer in Bend notified authorities on January 22nd about suspicious metal his business had received. Bend police identified the metal as the missing statue and opened a joint investigation with the sheriff's office. On the following day, the sheriff's office found that someone had also tried to sell the statue at a Portland scrap metal yard and identified possible suspects. Three people were arrested for the theft on Thursday in Bend. J.S., 44, and S.R., 42, were charged with first-degree aggravated theft by receiving; J.K., 45, was charged with first-degree theft by receiving and an additional charge of possession of methamphetamine. With the cooperation of both scrap metal yards, authorities then identified a fourth suspect, the man who was believed to be the one involved with the original theft of the statue. A county detective spotted his vehicle parked at a Warrenton store on the afternoon of January 27th and called in backup from the sheriff's office and Warrenton police. M.B., 42, described as a longtime county resident, was arrested when he returned to his car. He was transported to the county jail for failing to report to his parole officer on a previous burglary conviction. His vehicle was towed as possible evidence, and he was arraigned pending local charges. M.B. may also face federal charges because the crime occurred in a national park. In order to remove the statue, the thieves had to cut it from its mounting bolts. It apparently cracked in two when it was pulled off its mount and was cut into pieces before it was taken to the scrap metal dealer. Although the statue was valued at $20,000, it's likely it would have been worth only $200 or so as scrap. The county sheriff noted that metal theft is "rampant not only here locally but throughout the U.S. due to the high number of drug-addicted people who are looking for some quick cash to maintain their drug addictions." The park extends its thanks to the Clatsop County sheriff's office for their diligent work - just one example of the outstanding service they provide to the park. Efforts will be made to find another way to celebrate both Sacagawea and the native peoples who hosted the Lewis and Clark Expedition. [News report, The Daily Astorian; David Szymanski, Superintendent]

Gila Cliff Dwellings NM

Stranded Campers Rescued

Grant County Search and Rescue personnel conducted a rope evacuation of three campers stranded near the park's Cliff Dwellings Unit on Tuesday, January 29th. The three were unable to break their camp in the Upper Scorpion Campground and get their vehicle started before the north approach to the West Fork bridge washed out early on Monday morning. The Cliff Dwellings Unit will remain closed until the approaches to the bridge can be repaired, estimated to be at least 30 days. The park hopes to be able to reopen the Gila Visitor Center on Saturday, February 2nd, when state highway department crews repair washed out sections of New Mexico 15. [Steve Riley, Superintendent]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS (internal) or NPS Digest (external). The web sites, respectively are:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

HYPERLINK "http://www.npsdigest.gov/" http://www.npsdigest.gov/

War in the Pacific NHP - Temporary panels have been installed on the Asan Bay Overlook Memorial wall, replacing the 34 bronze plaques that were stolen from the memorial and sold as scrap metal last July. New, permanent granite panels are being prepared.

Gateway NRA - Dennis Soyka, the structural fire chief for the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, retired on December 31st after more than 36 years of federal service. Photo.

Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by both the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added this week are a Sig-Sauer armorer's training course in St. Louis and a course on archeological interpretation at Fort Pulaski NM.

Events Calendar - Today's listing of upcoming NPS and NPS-related events across the nation. New on this week's calendar are a celebration of Jewel Cave's centennial and a workshop on slave perspectives at Mammoth Cave, both in February.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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