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Suspect Accused Of Stealing Memorial Plaques For Scrap

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- A man has been arrested for the theft of several memorial plaques from a wall commemorating fallen first responders and military veterans, an alleged crime that would only have netted him a few bucks if it had been successful, authorities said.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said 37-year-old Casey Alger pried five brass plaques from the Wall of Honor at Patriot Park sometime before December 19, 2011, but investigators got a quick break after asking local scrap recyclers to keep watch for the missing memorial items.

Capitol City Recycle manager Joey Baxter said employees spotted one of the stolen items on their scales within a day and notified authorities. If the brass had been sold as scrap, it would have only been worth $43.

"There's just certain things you know are stolen unless they're coming in from a contractor," Baxter said. "That guy's a dirtbag, if you ask me."

The words on the plaque had been worn down and were unreadable, but the items matched the description provided by authorities. The remaining four plaques have not been recovered.

Deputies arrested Alger for theft and possession of stolen property. He is being held on $10,000 bond.

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