Youths praised by police in Telford after finding stolen memorial plaques
Police in Telford have praised a group of young people after a quantity of outstanding stolen memorial plaques were discovered in the town.
The discovery of approximately 50 brass plaques was made last Wednesday night by a group of teenagers walking through a wooded area between Ketley and Hadley.
The items, which were part of a haul stolen in a theft at Wellington cemetery back in February 2014 were found in an old suitcase lying in undergrowth alongside a footpath in the woods.
PC Lee Thomas said “It was my former team that dealt with the original incident when it was first reported and as soon as this call came in, I knew exactly what the items were going to be and where they were from.
“Myself and a colleague met up with the informants and were able to confirm that they were indeed the outstanding stolen property.
“We would like to thank the young people who discovered the plaques for their good citizenship and thinking in calling the police straight away so that the items could be returned to their rightful place.
“This was quite a high profile incident when it occurred and from feedback officers received directly and via the media, it was clear our local communities thought this was a despicable crime. I’m glad local people have been able to help bring this last bit of closure to the matter."
PC Neil Vaughan from Malinsgate Police Station, who investigated the original crime said “We very quickly identified and arrested the person responsible who was subsequently sent to prison as a result.
“When they were originally arrested only about half of the stolen plaques were recovered and the whereabouts of the remaining ones stayed a mystery as the it was never disclosed what had happened to them.
He added “For some families, these plaques will have been the only remaining physical memory of loved ones lost a long time ago.
“The cemetery arranged at the time for the stolen plaques to be replaced but due to the age of some and incomplete records over time, it was not clear what some of the names and exact inscriptions should have been.
“Hopefully any such outstanding issues can now be resolved and families will again have that point of reference and remembrance.”
