Lincoln Man Arrested For Stealing Ophir Historical Marker

LINCOLN (CBS13) — A 47-year-old Lincoln man was arrested by Placer County sheriff's detectives on Tuesday for the theft of a state historical marker.

Anthony James Karas was taken into custody at his Lincoln home and booked into the Placer County Jail on charges of grand theft and possession of stolen property.

The Ophir state historical marker, which was reported stolen in January, was recovered last week but it was cut into several pieces and all of the writing was ground from the solid brass piece, according to the sheriff's office. Ophir is an unincorporated community of Placer County, just west of Auburn. It was a boom town during the California Gold Rush, and later a ghost town.

The California Registered Historical Landmark plaque was located at Lozanos Road and Bald Hill Road. The plaque was valued at $951, detectives said.

Deputies found the sawed-up marker last week, dumped along Fiddyment Road. Detectives were able to trace it back to Karas.