By Faith Macale
Fifteen plaques have been stolen from a wall at Maddingley General Cemetery, exposing ashes.
The cemetery trust realised the plaques were stolen on Wednesday, February 5, but police believe the incident occurred on Sunday, February 2.
Maddingley General Cemetery trust member Rick Dickson said the wall in an area the furthest from the cemetery’s main office, making him believe that it was targeted.
“It’s in a dark corner, under a tree,” he said.
“Unless you specifically went there, you wouldn’t notice it.”
Mr Dickson said the trust’s biggest concern is the pain this incident is causing to the families whose plaques were stolen.
“It’s the trauma that we’re causing by just ringing them up and saying ‘sorry, but you’re plaques gone and your ashes are exposed,” he said.
“It concerns us deeply that we’ve got to rehash an old burial.
“We’re stirring up emotions that have probably gone in the background.”
Mr Dickson said the trust has contacted the Victorian Managed Insurance Agency (VMIA)to make an insurance claim to enable it to replace the plaques without charging the affected families.
It has also put temporary coverings on the wall.
“We’re lucky, we had a photo from the maintenance people of the wall which shows all the plaques intact,” Mr Dickson said.
“We can actually recreate the plaques.”
In Gisborne, eight plaques were also stolen from the local cemetery, but at this stage, police believe that two incidents are not related.
