Latest news with #RevAndreaLeonard
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Stolen First World War plaque found in scrapyard
A stolen First World War memorial plaque has been discovered in a scrapyard in Essex. Two 100-year-old metal plaques, which contain the names of dozens of soldiers killed in the war, were stolen last Friday from Christ Church Luton, in Chatham, Kent. Jonathan Pout, the head gardener, noticed they had been unbolted from the wall on May 24, prompting fears they were to be sold as scrap metal and could be destroyed. Police have now recovered one of the historic pieces from a scrapyard and arrested seven men, although the other plaque is still missing. It took four officers to carry the stolen plaque back to the church. A spokesman for Kent Police said on Thursday: 'Two initial suspects, aged 26 and 25 years, from Dartford, were swiftly tracked down following the recovery of the plaque from an Essex scrapyard on Wednesday. 'Five further men from the Medway area, aged between 22 years and 51 years, were subsequently arrested and remain in custody.' Pc Alanya Spiller said: 'We received a call about the location of the stolen property and patrols were immediately deployed across the Dartford Crossing. 'We are still seeking the other plaque and urge anyone who may be able to assist to contact us. This includes residents with private CCTV and motorists with dashcam who may have relevant footage.' The Rev Andrea Leonard, 65, the vicar of Christ Church Luton, said some members of the congregation had been emotional after discovering that the plaques outside the church were missing. She said: 'It's part of the church, it's part of the community, and in a way it's part of people's relatives. 'People say 'Oh my great uncle was on that list' and people recognise the names on there. 'If the church had been broken into and a computer stolen I'd have said 'Oh, we can get another one'. 'But this is desecration. It's horrible. The fact that someone can have that lack of respect for people that gave everything for us to be free is just shocking.' The vicar is now urging thieves to 'do the right thing' and return the second plaque to the church. She said: 'I have been with the police for the last half hour and they have been looking at the CCTV. 'It's just amazing what the police have done. They have told me they are on the hunt for the second plaque and they are still very much hoping it will be found – but the suspects may have been able to sell it. 'We are still hoping someone will do the right thing and the second one will be found as well. If the second plaque is not recovered, they would be replaced with replicas made of less valuable materials.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
We want justice after First World War plaques stolen, says reverend
A reverend has demanded justice after two metal memorial plaques honouring 150 First World War heroes were stolen from her church. Rev Andrea Leonard, 65, of Christ Church Luton, in Chatham, Kent described 'tears' from congregation members after discovering that the plaques outside the church were missing. The plaques had been there for around 100 years before thieves stole the memorials on Friday night. Jonathan Pout, the head gardener, made the discovery on May 24. Rev Leonard said: 'There were definitely tears. It's part of the church, it's part of the community, and in a way it's part of people's relatives. 'People say 'oh my great uncle was on that list' and people recognise the names on there. 'If the church had been broken into and a computer stolen I'd have said 'oh, we can get another one'. 'But this is desecration. It's horrible. The fact that someone can have that lack of respect for people that gave everything for us to be free is just shocking.' The plaques were secured to the walls with security bolts, leading Rev Leonard to believe that they were stolen by someone who knew what they were doing, as opposed to opportunists. Following a donation, the church is offering a £500 reward for any information that could lead to the recovery of the memorials, which immortalised the names of over 150 army and navy soldiers. If the plaques were not recovered, Rev Leonard said they would be replaced with replicas made of less valuable materials. She said: 'Because we're a military area, we've already had veterans' associations saying that they would help us with fundraising to make replacements that are not worth stealing, made of something different. 'We've got enough photographs as well to have all the names, so that's not going to be an issue, I don't think.' The reverend believes that the plaques are going to be used for scrap metal and may already be destroyed. She added: 'Initially, after the shock had settled in, people were very angry. The whole community is very angry as well. 'But, as a Christian community we have to respond in a different way – we don't want to make a lynch mob to go out and find someone. 'We've got to work on committing that person to justice. We want to see justice done, but we don't want to be vindictive.'
