Dallas police said unidentified suspects took a bronze statue overnight Sept. 24 from the 6700 block of Mabel Avenue in the Elm Thicket/Northpark neighborhood. The theft was reported Sept. 30. The statue has not been recovered, and no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing.
Jonathan Maples, president of the Elm Thicket North Park Neighborhood Association, said the statue stood about 6 feet tall and weighed more than 300 pounds. He said it would have taken several people and a vehicle to remove it. The statue stood next to a historical marker for Hilliard Memorial Golf Course, which opened in 1950 as the first municipal golf course built for African Americans in the southern United States. Maples said the community dedicated the marker and artwork during this year's Juneteenth celebration.
Maples said residents, including older community members, have called him with their frustration. As of Tuesday, the neighborhood association had no leads, but Maples said he has confidence in the Dallas police effort to recover the statue. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective D. Cunningham at 214-329-8909 or dante.cunningham@dallaspolice.gov.