A woman in Fife has called for action after mementos were stolen from her sister’s grave in Ballingry.
Donna Conners said fairy lights added to her sister Michelle’s grave in Fife had been stolen earlier this month.
Other items left at the grave by Michelle’s family have also been taken, including cans of gin and tonic left on her birthday.
Donna said she often visited the grave the remember Michelle, who died four years ago aged 42.
But she said those responsible are adding to her family’s trauma, with them focusing on what has been stolen rather than visiting Michelle’s grave to remember her.
After other mementos were taken from the grave, Donna said a set of stolen fairy lights was the “final straw” and she contacted the police.
She said she was “willing to do anything” to get a solution to the problem, and suggested CCTV should be installed.
“It has been the last couple of years, but it was tins we put down for her birthday,” she said.
“When the lights went it was just too much.
“I couldn’t put my finger on anybody. It’s nonsense, but I could use harder words.”
Donna said as well as CCTV the gates to Ballingry Cemetery had recently started to be left open, allowing access at any time during the night.
Things have also disappeared from other graves, Donna said: “It happened at my husband’s dad’s grave, and others.”
‘It cut my mum up’
She explained how it had impacted her family, especially Michelle’s mum who lives nearby.
“It cut my mum up,” she said.
“She lives right across from the graveyard. It’s a place you go to show a bit of respect and have a chat if you want to. You try your best to make it look beautiful, but scummy people do this.
“It’s a kick in the teeth.”
Police Scotland said inquiries into the theft of fairy lights from Michelle’s grave were ongoing.
A force spokesperson said: “Around 12.05 pm on Saturday, May 8, 2021, police received a report of solar panel lights stolen from a grave in Ballingry Cemetery.
Local vandalism
“Police inquiries into the theft are ongoing.”
It follows graffiti left at a cemetery in nearby Dunfermline, with vile slurs painted on graves and in a baby memorial garden.
After the vandalism earlier in May one mum whose son is buried in the memorial garden attended to clean the white paint.
As well as the graffiti at a memorial garden for babies, a large number of other headstones in the cemetery were also targeted.
Messages including “Covid scam” were scrawled on the headstones with white spray paint.