A Tribute Stolen: Bronze Plaque Honoring East Village Resident Ron Allaire Taken in Brazen Heist
A shocking theft occurred in Manhattan when a brazen thief stole a bronze plaque from a flower bed, erasing the memory of a man known as “the mayor” of East 10th Street.
The incident, captured on surveillance video, took place on May 27 at around 9 a.m. A man in a cap used the claw end of a hammer to remove the memorial honoring Ron Allaire, an audio engineer who passed away from lung cancer in 2018.
Allaire, a beloved figure in the East Village community, had lived in the building for over 20 years and was well-known and loved by all who knew him. The co-op board decided to honor him with the plaque after his passing.
Harold Levy, a friend of Allaire and the building’s co-op board president, expressed his confusion and disappointment over the theft, stating, “Ron was kind of the mayor of the block ā everyone knew him and he was loved by everyone in the building.”
The stolen plaque, costing $235 to install, bore the message, “In memory of Ron ‘Ronzie’ Allaire.” The thief’s actions have left the community saddened and puzzled.
Despite the loss, Levy has vowed to replace the precious plaque, whether out of his own pocket or with the help of the co-op board.
Tim Fulton, owner of TNT Scrap in Williamsburg, emphasized the unethical nature of stealing sentimental items like memorial plaques for profit, stating, “We would never buy something like a memorial plaque.”
Despite the setback, the community remains determined to honor Ron Allaire’s memory and ensure that his legacy lives on in East 10th Street.
