8:10pm Wednesday 31st August 2011
DISTRAUGHT families say they have been left sickened by the theft of personal mementos left on the graves of their loved ones.
More than ten graves are thought to have been targeted by thieves taking items, of little financial value, but huge emotional significance, at Colchester Cemetery and Crematorium, in Mersea Road.
They include items taken from the grave of an eight-year-old and others taken on the anniversary of a death.
Laura Ward, 22, of Delamere Road, Colchester, rushed to the graves of her mum, who died two years ago, and dad, who died 18 months ago, after she heard about the thefts from a friend visitng a neighbouring plot.
She said: “I don’t know why people would do this.
“They took heart crystals and a snow globe from my mum’s grave, which are just personal and meant something to me.
“We are all sickened by it and it is very distressing.
“You go up to sit with your loved ones, to connect with them and think of them, and then you find all these things taken – it is sickening.”
Another family left distraught were Alison Day and Marlon Sherman, of Lethe Grove.
Their son, Harry, died aged eight in April 2008. His grave was among those targeted, as was the grave of Miss Day’s dad.
Miss Day was visiting with her mum and sister, on the second anniversary of his death, when she spotted another mother crying.
She went over and asked what was wrong and was told to take a look at the graves.
Miss Day said: “It is not about the value but the meaning.
“They are just ornamental things but this makes me so angry.
“It is bad enough they stole from Harry’s grave, but on the two year anniversary of my dad dying makes it even more upsetting.”
Colin Daines, protective services manager at Colchester Council, said: “We will be investigating.
“It is disgraceful behaviour to take from graves. There is no financial value, but the emotional value is massive and this must be so distressing for them.
“It is a very difficult situation. Even with security patrols it is difficult, because they are not possible 24/7.
“The cemetery is a resource for the public and 99.99 per cent of people who use it will behave, but then there are those who will do this, so we will have to consider the situation.”
Some of the thefts have already been reported to the police along with reports of teenage girls seen hanging around the cemetery over the weekend.
Anyone with any information about the thefts, which took place sometime between Saturday and 4pm on Sunday, should call Essex Police on 101.