A Dundee OAP was left “distraught” after callous thieves ripped an ornament out of her sister’s grave, leaving nowhere for the family to place flowers on the anniversary of her death.
Patsy Kilbride, 80, went to Balgay Cemetery with family members to scatter the remainder of Janet Cameron’s ashes, as well as place some of her sister’s favourite flowers in a vase, encased in a wrought iron holder secured inside the ground.
However, she discovered the whole fixture had been dug out and stolen.
A heart ornament and a Mother’s Day card had also been taken.
She said: “We were devastated to lose Janet to cancer last year. She fought so hard, but in the end she died aged 68.
“We had been saving some of her ashes to scatter on the first anniversary of her death and had gone to her grave as a family.
“It’s a family plot where a lot of other relatives are buried too.
“We had put in a wrought-iron ornament that holds a vase for lots of flowers. It’s secured with a stake that goes into the ground, so it is not easy to take out, and has been there for ten years with no problems.
“I was distraught to find it had been stolen. My niece was crying too.
“We’d picked some of Janet’s favourite flowers in her favourite colours but there was nothing to put them into.
“I just don’t understand the mindset of the people who did this. I don’t think it would’ve been kids, they would have probably just smashed the vase rather than steal it.
“It would have taken quite a lot of strength and effort to take the iron holder out of the ground.
“I was so upset and angry I barely slept that night.”
Patsy made the discovery on Thursday and said that she did not initially report it to police.
However, she is now considering doing so, as she hopes someone may have witnessed the theft.
She added: “There is a busy main road nearby, although I’m not too hopeful to be honest.
“I just hope I can help prevent it happening to someone else.”
