Kent Police investigating the reported theft of two plaques from a Chatham churchyard in Luton Road have recovered one of the missing memorials and detained seven men.
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The incident, at Christ Church in Luton Road, took place at around 10pm on Friday 23 May 2025, after which two initial suspects, aged 26 and 25 and from Dartford, were swiftly tracked down following the recovery of the plaque from an Essex scrapyard on Wednesday 28 May.
Five further men from the Medway area, aged between 22 and 51, were subsequently arrested and remain in police custody.
Investigating officer, PC Alanya Spiller, said:
‘We received a call about the location of the stolen property and patrols were immediately deployed across the Dartford Crossing.
‘Officers are still seeking the other plaque and we urge anyone who may be able to assist to contact us. This includes residents with private CCTV and motorists with dashcam who may have relevant footage.
‘The loss of these memorials had a considerable impact on the local community, and we were delighted to return one of the missing items to the parish within a few days of the incident.’
Anyone with information is urged to call 01634 792209, quoting reference 46/87178/25.
You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or complete the online form.