Seeking Public Assistance For Its Return
From Jenny Plecki, Forest Service
Garfield County, UT— This weekend, a historic Half-track military vehicle was stolen from the Dixie National Forest in an area administered by the Fishlake National Forest. We are asking the public for information to help us locate this important machine.
A White Motor Co., USA Half-track vehicle was removed from the Boulder Mountain Row Lakes area between Friday, June 21st, and Saturday, June 22nd. The vehicle is part of a historic archaeological site determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The Half-track was one of 15,414 made by the White Motor Co. for the Department of Defense between 1939 and 1943. It had wheels on the front, rubber tracks on the rear, and a White 160AX straight-six engine. It was known as an M2 Scout Car. The vehicle carried six passengers, one gunner, a driver, and a front-seat passenger.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which protects archaeological sites, states, “The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 strictly forbids anyone from removing archaeological resources from federal land. It also prohibits any sales, purchase, exchange, transport, or receipt of such resources.
The theft of this vehicle is a clear violation of this law, and we urge the public to understand the gravity of this situation. An investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Forest Service Intermountain Region Investigative Analyst, Robert Smith at 775-420-1479 (cell), or email him at [email protected].