Los Angeles, USA - Thieves have stolen a cross in the Mojave Desert that was built to honor Americans who died in war, less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the religious symbol to remain on federal land.
The 7-foot-high cross was stolen late Sunday or early Monday by thieves who cut the metal bolts that attached the symbol to a rock in the sprawling desert preserve, National Park Service spokeswoman Linda Slater said.
Authorities knew of no motive for the theft, but Slater said scrap metal scavengers or people "with an interest in the case" could be to blame
The U.S. Justice Department was looking into the case, and a veterans group planned to offer a $25,000 reward to help catch the thieves.
"The American Legion expects whoever is responsible for this vile act to be brought to justice," said Clarence Hill, the group's national commander. "While the memorial has been attacked, the fight will continue to ensure that veterans' memorials will remain sacrosanct."
The cross came under legal fire about a decade ago by a former park service employee on grounds that it violated the constitutional separation of church and state.
A lengthy court fight ensued, culminating with a 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court that said the cross should remain.
The cross had been covered with plywood since the early 2000s while the courts decided whether it was legal, but vandals tore off the wooden cover over the weekend.
Maintenance workers went out to the rock to replace the cover and discovered the cross was missing, Slater said.