Thieves take late Assemblymember Marco Firebaugh statue from high school in Lynwood

Lynwood Unified School District officials are asking for the community's help following the theft of the bronze statue of former state Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh that was placed outside the high school named after him.

According to the district, the statue of the late Assemblymember was stolen over the weekend from Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School, located at 5246 Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Lynwood District Superintendent Gudiel Crosthwaite sent a message about the theft of the statue via the district’s X account:  "I need your assistance to send a message to everyone out there, that these thieves will not get away with coming into our community and stealing our precious Marco Antonio Firebaugh statue."

Our statue of Marco Antonio Firebaugh has been stolen from its namesake high school. Please share this video and help us find those responsible. If you have any information, call the CENTURY SHERIFF’S STATION at (323) 568-4800. #Lynwood @gudiel pic.twitter.com/iBLg1MMU0N

— Lynwood Unified School District (@LynwoodSchools) January 21, 2024

Crosthwaite asked the community to share the video and call the Century Sheriff’s Station to help solve this crime.

"Together with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, we are committed to finding the perpetrators responsible, ensuring the safe return of our statue, and continuing to foster a safe school environment for students, staff, and the community," the district posted on their X account. 

The theft occurred days after thieves attempted to take the same statue on Jan. 17.

An image posted on X by the school district shows the before and after of the statue. One of them shows the statue with ropes tied to its base. The second photo shows the same location, but this time, without the statue.

The Lynwood Unified School District is deeply saddened and disappointed by the theft of a statue honoring former California Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh from the high school named in his honor. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/pwvcVxH8FQ

— Lynwood Unified School District (@LynwoodSchools) January 22, 2024

Marco Antonio Firebaugh, who was a California Assemblyman, died in 2006.

Firebaugh was nationally recognized as one of the authors of AB540, known as the out-of-state tuition waiver. The measure allowed undocumented students access to in-state tuition at California public colleges and universities.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff at 323-568-4800.