Today Los Angeles residents woke up to find the plaque commemorating the Los Pobladores had bizarrely been stolen overnight. As pictured below, the plaque had been ripped out with the original brickwork being left behind. This was reported on Reddit, where an eyewitness claimed to have spoken to security guards at the site.

According to these guards, the plaque had been stolen, although they didn’t know why. Internet sleuths quickly speculated on theories as to why this would be targeted. Although some claimed it could be some kind of weird political message, the majority settled on the idea of it being used as scrap metal which wouldn’t be worth much but may be valuable to a desperate thief.

The Los Pobladores Plaque is a memorial plaque that commemorates the 44 original settlers of Los Angeles, also known as ‘Los Pobladores‘ (Spanish for ‘the settlers’). It was first installed in 1952, and it can be found at the historic Olvera Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

The plaque honors the diverse group of men, women, and children who settled in the city in 1781, including people of Spanish, African, Native American, and Mestizo descent. It serves as a reminder of the city’s rich and diverse history, and its role as a melting pot of cultures. The plaque is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, and it is seen as a symbol of the city’s multicultural heritage.