A 9-foot statue titled “Thank You, America,” which honors South Vietnamese soldiers, was stolen overnight from the Vietnamese Heritage Garden in San Jose but was recovered within hours, authorities said.

The theft occurred at the garden located on Roberts Avenue on June 21. Alongside the statue, several flags were also taken during the incident, according to the San José Police Department. The theft was reported to police around 1:24 p.m., prompting an immediate response.

By approximately 3:30 p.m., officers, working in collaboration with the SJPD Neighborhood Quality of Life Unit, located and retrieved the statue near the Coyote Creek Trail and Highway 280. During the investigation, a commercial truck believed to have been used in the theft was found nearby. The vehicle had been reported stolen several days earlier from a business along Monterey Road.

Police have not disclosed the identities of the two suspects allegedly involved in the heist, and they remain at large. The investigation into the motives behind the theft and any potential connections between the suspects and the stolen truck is ongoing.