THE Marianas Visitors Authority is seeking the public’s assistance in the recovery of a memorial statue stolen from historic Suicide Cliff in Saipan.
The theft of the copper deity statue — part of a World War II peace memorial in the historic Marpi area of the island — was recently discovered. The theft follows a similar incident at the nearby Korean Peace Memorial in April, where the stolen bust of a Korean war veteran was later partially recovered from a recycling shop.
“It’s disturbing, it’s sad, and it’s a blow against to our efforts to attract visitors and recover our economy,” said MVA Managing Director Jamika R. Taijeron. “We are a respectful people in the Marianas, and these acts are not reflective of who we are as a community or how we want the world to see us. We hope the statue can be recovered quickly.”
In another incident, Taijeron shared that a popular Japanese social influencer brought in by MVA last week to help promote the islands was victimized on Sunday, July 20, when their car was broken into at Obyan Beach. The tourism office head is asking for the public’s help in recovering the stolen statue and helping to protect the Marianas’ reputation as a safe destination.
“We ask anyone with information about these crimes — or any others against our visitors — to contact the police immediately,” said Taijeron. “If the Marianas loses our reputation as a peaceful, safe destination, it will take a very long time for us to gain it back, if ever. We hope to see justice in these cases soon.”
Taijeron said the tourism office supports stiffer penalties for crimes committed against tourists anywhere in the Commonwealth, especially as tourism is the primary economic driver of the islands.
The peace memorial at Suicide Cliff in Marpi, Saipan, on July 21, 2025, sometime after a copper deity statue at the top of the memorial was stolen by thieves.
The peace memorial and copper deity statue at Suicide Cliff in Marpi, Saipan.
The torn hood of rental car of a Japanese social media influencer that was cut while they were filming at Obyan Beach on July 20, 2025, as part of their work with the Marianas Visitors Authority to promote the Marianas.
