Names of Plymouth's fallen heroes stolen for scrap
The plaque was thought to have been levered off by thieves between Sunday night and Monday morning – just hours after the National Veterans Day celebrations.
City veterans and servicemen have called it a “disgraceful” act with one adding it was “like robbing a graveyard”.
The plaque, worth just a couple of hundred pounds to the thieves as scrap copper and tin, will cost an estimated £2,000 to replace.
The theft was initially spotted by professional sculptor Andy Mitchell, who has been contracted by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to restore all 113 bronze plaques on the city memorial.
He said: “The Plymouth memorial is one of the most breathtaking memorials in the country. To have someone rip off a plaque for a couple of hundred pounds, especially when people have died for their country, is unbelievable.”
He noticed one of the plaques, which includes names of Royal Marines who died in World War Two, had been ripped off and a neighbouring one tampered with on Monday.
“People must have known exactly what they were taking and those who receive it will know too. Hopefully people will read this and the thieves will be too scared to hold onto it and get rid of it,” he said.
“I called the Commission and they were horrified. It's a sad comment on our times.
“I have had similar problems before as we restore many of the plaques for the Commission.”
He said the plaque would be around 3ft square, weigh in the region of 40 kilos and had been chemically fixed to the stone, leaving thieves to either crowbar or chisel it free.
Veteran Brian Cumming, who is Devon County Chairman for the Royal British Legion, said: “It's absolutely deplorable that this should have happened. To desecrate what is in fact akin to a burial ground is beyond belief. That anyone should stoop so low as to desecrate the memorial beggars belief.”
Ray McSweeney, secretary of the Allied Memorial Group, said: “It's disgusting – I can't get over it. It's like robbing a graveyard. I know one in the Prime Minister's hometown of Falkirk was stolen. A friend of mine looks after the memorials up there and the same happened.
“It's a disgrace – and for it to have happened after the Veterans Day, well, it's beyond belief. All scrap dealers should know about this theft and leave it alone, otherwise it's like standing on their grave. It beggars belief.”
City Royal Marine commando Mark Ormrod, who lost both legs and his right arm on the Afghanistan frontline last year, called the theft “a disgrace”.
The 24-year-old, who is rebuilding his life in Elburton after stepping on a buried Taliban landmine on Christmas Eve, said: “The people whose names are on that plaque died for their country. They died for whatever idiot stole it. It's just wrong.
“I can't believe someone would even consider using part of a war memorial for scrap metal – it's a disgrace.”
David McCoy, aged 73, who is standard bearer at the St Budeaux Royal British Legion, said it was “disgraceful”.
The veteran said: “It's really disgusting – I don't think there are words to really describe them, to stoop so low.
“Somebody must know about it – the scrap dealers they're going to sell to must know.”
As a neighbouring plaque show signs of damage it is believed the thieves may have spent some time at the location while attempting to steal a second plaque.
Mr Mitchell also found traces of tar or asphalt on the stonework above the missing plaque, possibly from work boots where the thieves may have stood to get better leverage.
Mr Mitchell added: “The War Graves Commission struggle with their job and with not much money and this is a lot of money to find. Sadly, this sort of thing is happening all over the country, not just in Plymouth.”
Ian Thornett, regional supervisor for the Commission, said he was surprised by the theft as historically there had been few cases of vandalism on The Hoe.
He said: “The police are taking this very seriously and are doing all they can to make this item too hot to handle.
“We have bronze plaques all over the south west, so it is a worry. Clearly, these people have no scruples that they will lower themselves to steal it, especially after this weekend.”
Plymouth's police commander, Chief Supt Jim Webster, said: “This is a scandalous and unforgivable desecration and that it's happened on Veterans' Day makes it even more obscene.
“Earlier that day the people of Plymouth were on The Hoe remembering veterans and that someone would steal this plaque, to sell as scrap, will anger all of Plymouth.”
The stolen plaque is marked with the number 103 in the bottom right hand corner.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall police on 08452 777 444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting police reference EC/08/7109.
