More than a dozen memorial plaques stolen from benches and walls at Avondale Cemetery in Stratford have been recovered by police. The Stratford Police Service received the first report about stolen plaques on Nov. 5. As part of the investigation, officers searched a home on Woods Street on Tuesday and 14 plaques were found. Many of them were damaged and the inscriptions had been removed. Police arrested a 39-year-old woman who was inside the home at the time of the search. Officers were also looking for another suspect, a 42-year-old man. He was found riding a stolen bicycle near the Woods Street home and arrested. A second stolen bicycle was also found at the home. Both people have been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 related to the stolen plaques. A second charge of possession of stolen property under $5,000 was laid for the stolen bicycles. People who have loved one interred at the cemetery are encouraged to visit to ensure nothing is missing from the gravesites.
