Firefighters want stolen plaques returned

The Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society is asking for the return of four plaques stolen from the Firefighters Memorial Plaza in Old Strathcona.

Noel Bugnet, chairman of the memorial society, said it wasn't known exactly when the plaques were taken, but it was believed to have been in the last few days. A member made the discovery Saturday.

Four bronze plaques were taken from the bell tower memorializing fallen firefighters at 10322 83 Ave.

“They were going for the most bronze,” Bugnet said. “They took the ones that are the heaviest, with all the current names, because we have blank ones ready to go but those aren't worth as much.”

Bugnet said the society plans to report the theft to city police, but in the meantime it's pleading for the return of the plaques.

“These plaques are important to not only us, but the families of those involved,” Bugnet said. “They come down there and see their family member's name up there, that's extraordinarily important to them. We're not looking for anything other than our plaques returned.”

Bugnet said the memorial has been vandalized before but “nothing quite like this.” In 2015, The Rescue statue was found defaced with a black marker and a chokecherry tree beside it was cut down.

Bugnet said it will cost thousands of dollars to replace the plaques, and it won't happen in time for the society's annual ceremony on Sept. 11. The occasion honours fallen members of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Service and the 343 firefighters who died in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.