Stolen Milton Holocaust Sculpture Recovered, Suspect Identified
MILTON (CBS) – A Holocaust sculpture stolen from a Milton cemetery over a year ago has been recovered, and police are preparing a criminal complaint against the person they believe stole it.
The sculpture, called "Myriam's Memorial," was built by Waltham resident Fred Manasse in tribute to his sister who died in a concentration camp during World War II.
Detectives recovered the sculpture last month and identified a person of interest.
Police soon learned that the suspect, who was 18 at the time, allegedly took the sculpture and gave it to a friend as a gift.
Milton Police said there has been nothing to suggest the crime was "motivated by hate, bias or anti-Semitic sentiment."
On Friday, police filed a criminal complaint in Quincy District Court against the now 19-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released.
The Milton resident will be charged with destroying or defacing a grave or memorial and larceny over $250.
"When this incident first occurred, it caused a lot of unrest for not only the creator of the monument, but also those living in Milton and more specifically, the Jewish community," police said in a statement. "With the recovery of 'Myriam's Memorial,' hopefully those wounds will continue to heal."