Man accused of chiseling off parts of county’s Veterans Memorial, NC police say

A suspect has been charged in connection with multiple acts of vandalism to a Veterans Memorial, according to police in North Carolina.

The Guilford County Veterans Memorial in Greensboro’s Country Park was targeted twice just after Memorial Day: Once on May 27 and again on May 29, the Greensboro Police Department said in a news release.

In both instances, plaques were pulled off and taken, and “30 gold letters were chiseled from park benches and brick walls,” police said. The damage is estimated at around $3,000, police said.

“Surveillance images captured in Country Park were circulated during the investigation. On June 4, Greensboro police submitted the images to Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers to request public assistance,” police said.

“Later that evening, a citizen identified the suspect.”

Roger Lee Brown Jr., 49, of Greensboro was arrested and charged with felony larceny and possession of stolen property, officials said. He remained in custody as of Friday, June 5.

Investigators say many of stolen plaques were recovered at a “scrap metal business that cooperated with the investigation.”

The Guilford County Veterans Memorial was privately funded by the community and was dedicated in 2002, according to the nonprofit that erected the memorial.

Greensboro is about a 90-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.