thedrifter
07-29-07, 09:02 AM
Published Saturday, July 28, 2007 10:09 PM PDT
Publicsafety
Arches offers reward
In hopes of a safe return of a valuable collage, the restaurant's owner is offering $5,000 to whomever returns it.
By Michael Miller
The owner of the Arches Restaurant announced Saturday that he would award $5,000 to anyone who returned a photo collage that was stolen from his business earlier last week.
Meanwhile, the man who donated the display to the restaurant — an 81-year-old retired Marine from Corona del Mar — expressed grief at the loss of what he called a priceless part of history.
The collage, which features photographs and other memorabilia from the United States' battles in Japan during World War II, disappeared from the Arches Wednesday evening. Police have invited people to call in anonymously if they have information on the collage, but Arches owner Dan Marcheano provided an additional incentive to help solve the case.
"I'll give you $5,000 if you bring it back," said the tough-talking entrepreneur, whose restaurant has long been a supporter of the Marine Corps. "No questions asked. I'll take it right out of my pocket."
Marcheano received the collage last November when the local Marine, who fought on Iwo Jima, brought it to him and offered it for display.
The donor asked his name not be used due to the ongoing police investigation, but Marcheano confirmed his identity to the Daily Pilot.
The stolen item has such historical value that the donor, who created the collage shortly before his 80th birthday, said he wondered if someone took it in hopes of selling it.
"I never put any dollar value on it," he said. "How do you put a value on one-of-a-kind mementos from one of the most famous battles in the history of the world? To me, it's priceless."
The collage was an object of fascination for many of the Arches' patrons, some of them active and retired Marines. In addition to photographs, the display features an original landing chart for a beach invasion, a list of Japanese combat phrases provided to American soldiers and a Japanese yen.
When news spread that the items had been taken, Marcheano said, many of his customers were outraged.
"We had some Marines in here yesterday who saw that the thing was gone and they were furious," he said. "The question was, what kind of person would do a thing like that?"
Marcheano, who is in the process of moving his restaurant to a new location, added he shared the donor's reverence for history.
"This is more important than closing the Arches," he said. "This is more important than opening the new Arches."
MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at michael.miller@latimes.com.
Ellie
Publicsafety
Arches offers reward
In hopes of a safe return of a valuable collage, the restaurant's owner is offering $5,000 to whomever returns it.
By Michael Miller
The owner of the Arches Restaurant announced Saturday that he would award $5,000 to anyone who returned a photo collage that was stolen from his business earlier last week.
Meanwhile, the man who donated the display to the restaurant — an 81-year-old retired Marine from Corona del Mar — expressed grief at the loss of what he called a priceless part of history.
The collage, which features photographs and other memorabilia from the United States' battles in Japan during World War II, disappeared from the Arches Wednesday evening. Police have invited people to call in anonymously if they have information on the collage, but Arches owner Dan Marcheano provided an additional incentive to help solve the case.
"I'll give you $5,000 if you bring it back," said the tough-talking entrepreneur, whose restaurant has long been a supporter of the Marine Corps. "No questions asked. I'll take it right out of my pocket."
Marcheano received the collage last November when the local Marine, who fought on Iwo Jima, brought it to him and offered it for display.
The donor asked his name not be used due to the ongoing police investigation, but Marcheano confirmed his identity to the Daily Pilot.
The stolen item has such historical value that the donor, who created the collage shortly before his 80th birthday, said he wondered if someone took it in hopes of selling it.
"I never put any dollar value on it," he said. "How do you put a value on one-of-a-kind mementos from one of the most famous battles in the history of the world? To me, it's priceless."
The collage was an object of fascination for many of the Arches' patrons, some of them active and retired Marines. In addition to photographs, the display features an original landing chart for a beach invasion, a list of Japanese combat phrases provided to American soldiers and a Japanese yen.
When news spread that the items had been taken, Marcheano said, many of his customers were outraged.
"We had some Marines in here yesterday who saw that the thing was gone and they were furious," he said. "The question was, what kind of person would do a thing like that?"
Marcheano, who is in the process of moving his restaurant to a new location, added he shared the donor's reverence for history.
"This is more important than closing the Arches," he said. "This is more important than opening the new Arches."
MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at michael.miller@latimes.com.
Ellie