‘Britain’s maximum callous crooks’ ARRESTED: Vicar celebrating after steel army memorial plaque is returned… however one remains to be lacking and extra ‘iron thieves are at the free’

A vicar has been left shocked after certainly one of two stolen bronze warfare memorial plaques used to be dramatically recovered via police, as officials verify two other people had been arrested. 

The 90kg plaque, which vanished from the doorway of a Kent churchyard in a heartless raid, used to be discovered dumped at a scrapyard in Essex on Wednesday.

In emotional scenes, 4 officials carried the ancient tribute – devoted to 150 native males who died within the First World War – again to Christ Church Luton in Chatham, the place a jubilant Reverend Angela Leonard, 65, is now deciding the place to reinstall it.

She instructed MailOnline: ‘I simply cannot imagine it. I had concept it could had been minimize into items via now. 

‘The police had been so just right. We simply hope we will be able to get the opposite plaque returned so we’ve got them each again. I truthfully simply can not imagine it.’

But whilst one plaque is house, the search remains to be on for its lacking dual, with detectives caution of extra ‘iron thieves at the free’ after the church used to be centered in a night-time raid that has left the group reeling.

Police showed two other people were arrested in reference to the robbery as the quest continues for the second one piece.

Vicar Angela Leonard (above) stated: ‘I simply cannot imagine it. I had concept it could had been minimize into items via now’

A Kent Police spokesperson stated: ‘Officers investigating the reported robbery of 2 memorial plaques from a Chatham churchyard at round 10pm on Friday 23 May 2025, have detained two males.’

Callous iron theives are being hunted via police after stealing two steel army memorials from a villiage churchyard.

Devastated parishioners had been left in tears after the plaques – which held the identify of the city’s 150 First World War heroes for greater than 100 years – have been ripped from the picket gateway.

Thieves are stated to have performed the harsh operation beneath the duvet of evening.

Jonathan Pout, the pinnacle gardener of Christ Church Luton, in Chatham, Kent, used to be horrified to find the naked areas on Saturday, May 24.

The retired engineer instructed MailOnline: ‘I’m the one that came upon they have been long past so that you discovered the precise guy.

‘It used to be on Saturday morning at 10am, I got here to perform a little bits within the lawn and as I walked throughout the gate I spotted some wooden at the flooring and I believed ‘bizarre’.

‘Then I appeared up and noticed the plaques have been long past.

Jonathan Pout, the pinnacle gardener of Christ Church Luton, in Chatham, Kent, used to be horrified to find the naked areas on Saturday, May 24

Devastated parishioners had been left in tears after the plaques – which held the identify of the city’s 150 First World War heroes for greater than 100 years – have been ripped from the picket gateway

Thieves are stated to have performed the harsh operation beneath the duvet of evening, with locals fearing they’ll be melted down into scrap steel

‘Thankfully inside a question of mins there have been folks right here with me, and throughout the hour we would posted it in all places the web page and the police were contacted.

‘It used to be very bizarre, I should admit, you simply by no means be expecting pieces like that to be stolen.

‘They’re now not simply within the church grounds, in addition they hang numerous importance, numerous sentimental price.

‘The instant group had been knowledgeable too and they’re somewhat bit disgusted with the thieves movements. I believe to start with other people simply felt rage.’

The circle of relatives of probably the most warfare heroes presented £500 as a praise for its go back after listening to in regards to the church’s loss.

The plaques were a point of interest for remembrance day commemorations, with crosses and poppies left under the names.

They had lately been refurbished and restored to their authentic place at the lynchgate.

Mr Pout suspects the plaques have been interested in a crowbar and stated they’d had been recognisable had the crooks attempted to promote them on.

Reverend Andrea Leonard, 65, who has headed up the church since 2015, stated the plaques were taken beneath the duvet of darkness on Friday evening

Mr Pout suspected the plaques have been interested in a crowbar and stated they’d had been recognisable had the crooks attempted to promote them on

Reverend Andrea Leonard, 65, who has headed up the church since 2015, stated the plaques were taken beneath the duvet of darkness on Friday evening.

The former missionary stated: ‘At first it used to be a horrible surprise, all of us felt violated and really unhappy – there have been tears on Saturday.

‘On Saturday morning there’s a staff of volunteers who come and do the lawn and cleansing and stuff, so all of us got here in.

‘I arrived a little later and everybody used to be simply shocked as a result of you’ll’t rather get a care for on who would do one thing like that.

‘I’ve appeared up the cost of brass and it is £3 a kilo, think they are each round 25 pounds, that is £150, however to us they are useful.

‘I believe what has surprised other people, and I’ve stated his sooner than is, if it used to be a pc you would simply suppose ‘oh I’ll get any other one’ however that is one thing other.

‘It simply looks like, smartly, it’s desecration, is not it truly of a memorial.

That’s now not the Christian approach, you understand, we’ve got a undeniable instance, and if everybody forgave like that, they should not have been a warfare within the first position.’

The plaques have been secured to the partitions with safety bolts – main Reverend Leonard to imagine they have been stolen via any person who knew what they have been doing, versus opportunists

The grave of an area soldier which used to be put in round 3 months in the past whose identify used to be on probably the most plaques

The plaques have been secured to the partitions with safety bolts – main Reverend Leonard to imagine they have been stolen via any person who knew what they have been doing, versus opportunists. 

Failing restoration, Reverend Leonard says the plaques might be changed with replicas manufactured from much less treasured fabrics.

The present church used to be inbuilt 1983 and changed a Victorian church which needed to be demolished because of subsidence.

Jennifer Reddich, 56, used to be left heartbroken via the movements as her nice uncle misplaced his lifestyles within the warfare and she or he incessantly went to the plaques to bear in mind him. 

She stated: ‘The individuals who took the warfare memorial are truly dangerous other people as a result of they’re disgracing the individuals who fought for our nation.

‘I’ve were given circle of relatives who died throughout the wars, and so they will have to be remembered, now not stolen.

‘It is truly scary and it’s truly dangerous what they have got performed. It’s disgraceful that they have taken warfare memorial, it is completely disgusting.

‘On Remembrance Day they do products and services there and now there is not anything they may be able to do them with.’

The present church used to be inbuilt 1983 and changed a Victorian church which needed to be demolished because of subsidence

Alex Ayears, 37, who has lived within the house for nearly 8 years and attends the church on particular events together with Christmas, stated: ‘It’s terrible, it is a actual, actual disgrace as a result of they have got been there for goodbye.

‘I had was hoping they would be a little too scorching to care for and we would get them again.

She added: ‘I will’t recall to mind the rest like this that is came about round right here.

‘You suppose even the bottom other people would not sink that low.’

Churchgoer Dawn Crook, 56, who attends the church each and every Sunday, stated: ‘It’s terrible, it is disgusting, I will’t imagine any person would do this.

‘Those infantrymen died for our county – I am hoping they catch them.

‘It rather emotional truly as a result of they have got simply installed a grave for an area soldier – and now the memorial has been taken.

‘I felt very dissatisfied after I heard, so used to be the entire church circle of relatives, as a result of we like our church and it is simply disgusting that any person would do this.’

 And Leigha Pope, 19, added: ‘It’s simply outrageous, it is disgusting. A warfare plaque memorial used to be stolen, it is an outrage.

‘I have never truly heard the rest, it is simply disgusting.’

A spokesperson for the church stated: ‘We are past unhappy to announce that our first global warfare memorials had been stolen from the lychgate.

‘For over 100 years those had been in position, honouring the ones from this house who gave the whole thing for us to be unfastened.

‘If someone is aware of anything else about this desecration, please do touch us.’

They added: ‘We have very kindly been presented £500 as a praise for info given which ends up in the retrieval of our memorial plaques.’