Tasmania Police is calling for public assistance as officers investigate the theft of more than 20 brass plaques from the Soldiers Memorial Avenue at the Queens Domain, Hobart.
The City of Hobart and Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue reported the incident to police on Wednesday afternoon, saying it appears the plaques - which honour fallen World War I Tasmanian soldiers – have been forcibly removed.
Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue President John Wadsley, Tasmania Police Hobart Division Acting Inspector Danny Jackson and City of Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock inspected the avenue on Thursday.
A/Inspector Jackson hoped members of the public might be able to provide information to find the people responsible and locate the plaques.
"Whilst these plaques don't have significant monetary value, they have significant value to the families of the people who have been memorialised here and we are very keen to locate the people responsible and have those plaques recovered," he said.
"It's appalling that someone would come and take those plaques from here.
"We're hopeful that someone out there knows something about where these plaques are, or who may be responsible."
Soldiers Memorial Avenue is a significant heritage site, with more than 530 trees planted to honour Tasmanian soldiers who died in World War I. Each tree is marked with a plaque bearing the name of a fallen soldier.
Mr Wadsley said the Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue had been working for more than 24 years to restore the walk, which was an important site of remembrance for Tasmanian families.
"These are really important places. These represent not only the service of someone who died, but also the love of a family that lost someone," he said.
Mr Wadsley said the stolen plaques had little monetary value for their brass content but would take about $600 each to replace.
Anyone with information about the theft of the plaques is asked to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 or crimestopperstas.com.au. Quote OR778508
CAPTION: Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue President John Wadsley, left, with Tasmania Police Acting Inspector Hobart Division Danny Jackson at the site where one of the plaques remembering a fallen soldier is missing. (Picture: Tasmania Police)
