Detectives investigating Make-A-Wish Foundation statue theft in Phoenix
Jan 7, 2023, 7:15 AM
(Make-A-Wish Foundation Photo)
(Make-A-Wish Foundation Photo)
PHOENIX — Police detectives are investigating the theft of a statue outside the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America building in central Phoenix.
The statue is of Chris Greicius, a seven-year-old boy who died of leukemia in 1980 after the Department of Public Safety granted him his wish to be a police officer for a day.
Make-A-Wish was co-founded by Greicius’ mother, Linda Pauling. The foundation granted its first official wish in 1981.
Officers responded to the area of Highland Avenue and 17th Street regarding the theft on Wednesday afternoon.
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Preliminary information gathered by police indicated that two people got out of a white sedan on Tuesday at around 10:15 p.m. and forcibly removed the statue — of Greicius is a DPS uniform — from its fixed position in front of the entrance. They then placed it in the vehicle and left the area.
Detectives are seeking to learn the identity of the suspects.
Anybody with information about the case was asked to call the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151 or, to remain anonymous, Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (837-8446) for Spanish.
