One of the missing plaques. Photo: Supplied / Invercargill City Council
Plaques stolen from soldiers' graves at an Invercargill cemetery have been recovered, and a man charged with their theft.
Nine plaques were taken in October and November last year from St John Cemetery. Four of them belonged to World War I and II personnel, police said.
While all have been found, not all of them could be restored to their original condition, Senior Constable Craig Colyer said on Wednesday.
"Theft at any time is appalling, but targeting a cemetery is a particularly low act."
A 44-year-old man has been charged with theft, and will appear in the Invercargill District Court next week.
"We hope this arrest brings some comfort to the affected families, and we want to thank the public for their assistance with the investigation," Colyer said.
Awarua RSA president Ian Becker told Checkpoint in December he was gutted by the theft, which he said showed a complete lack of respect.
"All they're interested in is getting their grubby little hands on some easy cash, but I think they might [find] they're now holding onto a wasp's nest - and somebody, somewhere, is going to tell us who it was."
Rose Hinchey's plaque that was stolen. Photo: Supplied / Invercargill City Council
One of the plaques belonged to Rose Hinchey, a nurse who served in WWII and Korea.
"I just feel gutted that some person just felt they had a bigger, a stronger need to take away somebody's identity," Becker said.
"She's a real person and she's one of ours."
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