Stolen bronze plaques anger community

There's been a rash of stolen bronze plaques across southeast New Brunswick.

Thieves are taking commemorative plaques off monuments across the region.

Barry Glencross, the village administrator in Rexton, said several plaques were taken from his community.

"Right along the sidewalks on Main Street and obviously it was done in the middle of the night — I guess," said Glencross.

In Moncton,  Dan Hicks — the supervisor of Parks and Grounds, Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Culture, said the thieves didn't even wait for nightfall to steal a plaque next to the big steam locomotive in Centennial Park.

"They actually pulled a car over on the side of the road and got out and absconded the plaque right in broad daylight.

Dawn Lutz is with the Settlers Association, which has raised money to commemorate the first families to settle in Moncton.

Their plaque was also stolen from the Riverbank Memorial.

"It would be the same thing as going into a cemetery and desecrating the monuments in a cemetery it's the same idea."   And just down the path a monument to the Acadian deportation had its bronze plaque wrenched off it.

Lutz said the thieves are going for the value of the metal.

The RCMP say they need help to solve the case.

A RCMP spokesperson said any scrap dealer who sees them should know they've been stolen.