Derry grandmother's anger at theft of items from child's grave

A Derry grandmother says she is 'disgusted' after items went missing from her three year old grandson's grave amid a series of thefts at City Cemetery.

Kathleen McGuinness said her family had laid items on her Grandson Kayden's grave for his anniversary only for them to go missing in a few weeks.

“It was his anniversary in September and there were two wreaths and a teddy bear flower ornament put up and they were there for maybe three weeks and then they were just gone. They were gone by the first week of October.

“The two wreaths were bought by his two aunties and I made the flower one. It was a polystyrene teddy bear with flowers all over it and that went as well – it was just a blue teddy bear.

“I was more disgusted than anything because it's a child's grave and you would think people, when you put someone on a grave, they would leave it alone.”

She added that the CCTV near the grave failed to act as a deterrent for the alleged theft and it's not the first time this has happened to the grave.

“There have been ornaments taken off the grave as well over the last six years but that's the first time the wreaths have gone missing.

“I'm not too worried about the wee ornaments. There are times when we go up and there's wee things missing but I think it's the rabbits that sometimes take them but definitely three wreaths just don't go walkabout like and I'm not the only one – a few people have said quite a few wreaths have gone missing up around there.

“His name was on one of the wreaths, Kayden, and a Paw Patrol – it was very specific to him so you couldn't even resell that one. So you wonder, are they just doing that for badness? Could it be wee young ones thinking it's funny?”

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council, which manages City Cemetery, confirmed that it is aware of recent thefts from graves.

“The incidents are deeply distressing and upsetting for the families whose loved ones' graves were targeted and encouraged anyone with information to contact the PSNI or Council’s Community Safety Wardens,” the spokesperson said.

“The Cemetery is a place for quiet reflection and graves should be treated with the utmost respect by all members of the community.”

A PSNI spokesperson said it had no reports of the incidents at this time.

Kathleen said they did not report the incident because she doesn't think it would be a priority for the PSNI.

Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said multiple families have contacted him about similar incidents in recent weeks, leaving them 'utterly devastated'.

“I’ve been contacted by several families who are utterly devastated that items, some of which held sentimental importance, have been stolen from their loved one’s grave," the SDLP MLA said.

“One family has expressed to me how upset they were to learn that a red and white artificial flower arrangement was taken from their father’s grave last Wednesday afternoon. Since highlighting the theft, several other people have come forward with similar experiences.”

He said this time of the year is 'one of heightened emotion' when people can find the absence of a loved one much harder to cope with.

“People find solace in visiting the cemetery and the act of bringing offerings to the resting place of a loved one often brings much needed comfort. It’s pathetic that someone felt the need to rob people of that comfort.”