Altona Memorial Park, Melbourne: Heartless thieves charged for stealing bronze plaques placed by families in memory of their children
Heartless thieves have been put down after 75 plaques were stolen from a children’s cemetery in Melbourne’s west.
Investigators believe they were stolen from Altona Memorial Park on Dohertys Road sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the bronze plaques were erected in the ‘Garden of Little Angels’ in memory of children by their families.
Investigators believe they were stolen from Altona Memorial Park on Dohertys Road sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday
It is suspected that the plaques were stolen to be melted down and sold for their high scrap value.
Detectives warned scrap dealers to be wary of thieves trying to sell the plaques and to report any suspicious activity to police.
Employees of a local scrap metal company told the story Sky News the act is ‘despicable’.
“We didn’t want to take the plaques because we know they were stolen,” said the staff member, who asked to remain anonymous.
‘As soon as employees see something that they think is incorrect, they record the license plate number, address and name.’
Detectives warned scrap dealers to be wary of thieves trying to sell the plaques and to report any suspicious activity to police
The thieves would need an ABN to legitimately sell the bronze through scrap metal companies.
Police are investigating the incidents and are calling on anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.