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Mystery At The Alamo: Texas Declaration Of Independence Reported Missing

Wikipedia Commons

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas are responding to the bizarre incident that called San Antonio Police to the shrine Thursday morning. DRT President Karen Thompson said there will be a full investigation; the Texas Declaration of Independence is apparently missing from the Alamo.

Following a report that artifacts were missing, Thompson assured people there would be a formal inquiry and the DRT would fully cooperate with law enforcement officials.

Police were dispatched to the Alamo on Thursday for a report that relics had been stolen, including the Texas Declaration of Independence.

A police report says a worker was conducting an inventory for the Texas General Land Office back in September. Police said she set the document on a chair to take a photograph. The report says she then replaced the document in its frame beside a filing cabinet, where it is always kept.

However, days ago, the police report says, someone noticed it missing from the location by the filing cabinet. “In its place," said the report "was another copy of the document." Workers searched all over, but could not find the framed Declaration of Independence and the filing cabinet appeared to have been tampered with. Police say there was no evidence of a break-in when the Land Office reported the item missing.

Thompson said the Alamo Mission Chapter notified the staff and the DRT about the incident. Thompson said artifacts within the shrine are secure and under the guard of the Alamo Rangers.

Ryan Loyd was Texas Public Radio's city beat and political reporter. He left the organization in December, 2014.