Charges filed after 103-year-old statue of Abraham Lincoln damaged in Burlington

BURLINGTON -- Charges have been filed after a 103-year-old statue of Abraham Lincoln, belonging to the Burlington Historical Society was damaged on January 30th.

Jacob Hinds



The accused is 22-year-old Jacob Hinds of Burlington, who is facing one count of felony damage to property.

On January 30th, police were dispatched to the area of Kane Street and State Street in Burlington after receiving  a report of a truck parked up on a snow bank near the statue. The caller was able to provide a description of the truck.

When officers arrived, there was no truck on scene, but officers saw that the statue had been ripped from its base, and it was laying on the ground. There were fresh tire marks observed in the snow.

Officers followed the tire marks, which were also on the roadway, and they eventually checked a parking lot on Washington Street.

In that parking lot, officers found a truck that matched the description of the truck seen near the statue. The criminal complaint indicates an officer saw a tow strap hanging out of the tailgate of the truck.

Officers learned the truck was registered to Jacob Hinds.

The complaint indicates officers spoke with the man who initially reported this incident again, and he was able to provide a detailed description of the truck he saw near the statue, and a man he saw near the statue.

Officers were able to obtain surveillance video from a bank near the Washington Street parking lot.

Two videos were recovered -- including one that showed the pickup truck pulling into the lot, and another that showed two people exiting the pickup truck and walking toward a home where Jacob Hinds lives.

The initial caller responded to the police department for a photo array, and he was able to positively identify the truck, and he was able to determine for officers that Hinds' father was "100% NOT" one of the parties involved in this incident. Officers showed the man a photo of Hinds' father because they look alike.

The man later called officers to let them know he had gone on Facebook, where he saw a photo of Hinds' father with his two children. He then informed the officers that Hinds and his sibling were the two people he saw near the statue.

Abraham Lincoln statue



The complaint indicates officers spoke with the president of the Burlington Historical Society, who said the Abraham Lincoln statue is "priceless." He said in 2013/2014, the statue was restored at a cost of $6,000 -- paid for by the City of Burlington. He said the statue is not a historical monument, but it is placed on city owned/state owned property in the historical district of Burlington.

Burlington's mayor reported damage to the statue would be well over $2,500. The city would have to contact a specialist to repair the damage. The mayor said a crane would also be needed to put the statue back in place after it was repaired.

Burlington's mayor said he wanted to see whomever was responsible for the vandalism prosecuted.