On October 8, 2026, it was discovered that eighty to one hundred plaques had been stolen from the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery.
The Cemetery is managed by the Southern Metropolitan Cemetery Trust (SMCT), who are working with the Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries (FOCRC) group to identify the missing plaques, which were taken from all sections of the cemetery. Families will then need to be informed. This is a devastating loss for these families who will now have to go to the expense and trouble of replacing the plaques.
It is fortunate that FOCRC have a database of photographs of all the graves, which they have built up over the years, as it makes the work of identification so much easier.
UPDATE - On Monday October 12, two FOCRC volunteers worked with two SMCT staff to itemise all the missing plaques. However when they returned the next day, they discovered more plaques had been stolen over night, including those marking graves of still-born babies. It is now thought that 152 plaques were stolen. Security footage shows two men with a very large suitcase on wheels and a duffle type bag, so it is assumed they were the criminals.
The footage has been sent to the Police. Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 if you have any information or relevant CCTV or dash-cam footage or think you may have seen something that might help.
A Vanished Victoria team member was talking to a major manufacturer of plaques recently and he was told that this business makes at least one replacement plaque every week. Perhaps, it is also time there was a crack-down on rogue metal re-cyclers, who receive these items and must know they are stolen, but do nothing.
Channel 10 coverage of the theft from October 15, 2026https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvu4IhWy3fs
Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries https://www.focrc.org/
Southern Metropolitan Cemetery Trust https://www.smct.org.au/
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