Thieves Steal 'Surfer's Walk of Fame' Bronze Plaques in Hermosa Beach

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Feb 16, 2024 1:00 PM ET

Hermosa Beach, in the South Bay of Los Angeles, is steeped in surf history.

Icons of the yore, who paved the way for modern day surfing in Hermosa, then surfed their way up and down the California coast and over to Hawaii, include: surfers and shapers Dale Velzy and Dewey Weber, surf photographer Leroy Grannis, and legendary big-wave pioneer Greg Noll (originally from nextdoor Manhattan Beach).

And to honor those South Bay surf legends, there’s the Surfer’s Walk of Fame, a collection of commemorative plaques lining the Hermosa Beach Pier, in addition to a life-size statue for surfer and lifeguard Tim Kelly. But recently, three of the plaques have gone missing, presumably snatched by thieves, and two were destroyed.

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Local South Bay newspaper, the Easy Reader, first reported on the missing and damaged plaques. Detailing the situation, they wrote:

“The missing plaques commemorates Bob Hogan, a founder of the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race, inducted in 2009; and 2014 Pioneer inductees Becher Anderson, Bob Bergstrom, Stu Linder, Richard “Mo” Meine, Warren Miller, and Fenton “Fent” Scholes.

“The two damaged plaques commemorate Spyder Surf founder Dennis Jarvis, a 2015 inductee; and Lifeguard John “Merc” McFarlane, a 2014 inductee.”

Unlike other commemorative, communal surfing historical sites – like the feuding Surfers’ Hall of Fame and the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach – the one in Hermosa Beach uses semi-precious metals.

It’s suspected that the plaques were pilfered for their monetary value. They’re made from bronze, an alloy which contains roughly 88% copper and 12% tin. Just like electrical copper wiring pinched from households, the bronze plaques, theoretically, could be sold. Currently, the market price for copper is about $3.70 per pound.

No reports have been made about potential suspects.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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