The Merrington Cemetery committee in Kindersley, Sask., is speaking out after historical gates from the cemetery were taken.
Cemetery groundskeeper Kent Nargang estimates the gates were handmade anywhere from 70 to 100 years ago by people who grew up in the town.
The committee recently began working on a fencing project and had to remove the gates to complete construction.
“They were removed about a week before July 1 and they were sitting there,” Nargang said.
The group realized they had been taken on July 9.
Leona Nargang said the group is offering an unspecified reward for the gates and is also pleading for whoever took them to bring them back, no questions asked.
Leona said she doesn’t know who would want to take the gates.
“This is why we’re so astounded and distraught at such an act,” Leona said.
Kent said the group is devastated that the gates, which are a community landmark, are gone.
“We take personal pride in keeping the grounds the way they are and updating all the time and then all of a sudden this happens. It’s terrible,” Leona said.
Leona and Kent said no other vandalism occurred at the cemetery.
“People are obviously desperate to sell metal because the price of metal has gone up. We’ve been to every scrap metal dealership around, we’ve phoned and we’ve gone to visit personally and of course nothing has come in,” Leona said.
The theft has been reported to police and Kindersley RCMP are investigating.
“These are pretty distinct items and have the cemetery’s name right on them. We are hoping that if someone saw these items being taken or knows of their whereabouts that they give us a call,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Peterson.
Peterson said information can also be reported to Crime Stoppers.