Families have been left “hurt” and “angry” following the theft of more than 40 memorial plaques from a lawn cemetery in Hunter Valley, NSW.
According to NSW police, the plaques were taken from a cemetary at Aberdare, near Cessnock, around 5pm on Tuesday and 9am on Wednesday.
One grieving family member, Gary Griffiths, had lost his wife only a year ago, and was “devastated” to see her plaque that he has lovingly maintained all this time go missing.
“That plaque was a recognition of my wife,” he told ABC News.
“I’m up here daily sitting with my wife and I clean it, I polish it and that’s just been taken away.
“I can’t comprehend that anybody in their own right could come into a cemetery and do this.”
Griffiths has put a call-out on social media offering a $1,000 reward to try and get his wife’s plaque back.
“I don’t hold much hope in that, but it’s worth a try,” he said.
Cessnock woman Janice Musgrove said she was heartbroken and was “crying my eyes out” after finding out that her son’s plaque had been stolen.
“I feel very, very angry and very hurt,” she said.
It has been reported that 45 plaques, including one from a war memorial in Cessnock, have been stolen, with Hunter MP Dan Repacholi condemning the behaviour.
“It’s just disgusting,” he said.
“Someone going around and stealing the brass and bronze plaques from grave sites is utterly disgusting.”
NSW police have released a statement saying they were investigating the incident, and have urged anyone with information to report it to Crime Stoppers.
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