Lloyd Seekamp, a former U.S. Marine, has come home every day to five concrete statues of U.S. military men and women saluting him from his front yard, American flags in hand.

But on Monday morning, Seekamp woke to find that the dearest of his collection — the Marine statue — had disappeared.

Now, Seekamp, 82, and wife Zola are imploring whoever stole the statue to return it to their west Greeley home, no questions asked.

The couple has displayed the line of statues, which represent the U.S. Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force and a female Army officer, for seven years. They said they often look out their window to see others who salute the statues as they walk by, leave letters at their door or take pictures next to them.

“It’s like a landmark,” Lloyd said.

Zola said the couple notified the police of the theft, who said they would keep a lookout for the statue.

“People really have been impressed by them,” she said. “It was kind of a big shock to see it gone. ... I know it will upset some people, the idea of stealing something like that.”

Greeley police are investigating, and spokeswoman Sgt. Susan West said the city has not experienced any increase in thefts of yard ornaments.

When Seekamp first purchased the statues, he temporarily cleaned out the statue supply at Eaton Grove Nursery, north of Greeley.

“It still breaks me up a little when I see them,” Lloyd told the Tribune when he first bought the 4-foot high statues. “We need to show support for our military and remember what they’ve done for us.”

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