GIBSLAND – The Bonnie and Clyde monument has been stolen – AGAIN.
According to the Bienville Parish Clerk of Court Eddie Holmes, the commemorative plaque was stolen again from the Bonnie and Clyde ambush site, although no one knows when it was taken.
“This spot is by far our most popular tourist stop for out-of-towners and one of our most popular festivals, Bonnie and Clyde, happens in May of each year,” Clerk of Court Eddie Holmes said. “If you are responsible, or know who is, please consider returning the plaque. You can contact me and I will take the plaque, or have you leave it somewhere for me to pick up and have it reinstalled with no further issue
made.”
The plaque was replaced with funds from the Bienville Parish Police Jury and the Arcadia Bienville Parish Chamber of Commerce. The monument, which was adorned by a plaque, paid tribute to the law enforcement officers who ended the infamous couple’s crime spree. The couple was ambushed by law enforcement and lost their lives following a robbery and murder spree.
Perry Carver, owner of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum in Gibsland, said at the ribbon cutting of the replacement plaque in October 2024, that it comes after the original was vandalized and the plaque was stolen.
“The people just need to leave it alone,” he said. “It’s not locals that mess it up. It’s not a memorial to Bonnie and Clyde. It’s a site marker; it’s an historical plaque, not a memorial for any one.”
During the night of April 3 or the morning of April 4, 2023, a thief or thieves stole the original plaque from its concrete stand at the ambush site. For 17 months, visitors to the site saw the original granite marker, which says, “At this site, May 23, 1934, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were killed by enforcement officers.” To the right of the granite marker, they saw a concrete stand where another plaque had been mounted. The location of the stolen original plaque remains a mystery.
The replacement marker said, “On this site, May 23, 1934, at 9:15 a.m., the famous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met their demise at the hands of these dedicated law enforcement officials. Lest we forget these brave and vigilant conservators of the peace.” Included on the plaque is the famous photo of the ambush posse.
“If it does not get returned, it is unlikely that another replacement occurs – leaving only a marred chunk of concrete on the roadside for future visitors to see,” Holmes said.
Brad Dison, columnist and avid historian, contributed to this report.