It’s incredibly disappointing that cemeteries have been targeted in some of the latest incidents of vandalism and theft in the Hills.

Cemeteries are places that have significant meaning for the loved ones of those who are buried or otherwise memorialised there and should be treated with the utmost care and respect.

It’s bewildering to think that someone would be willing to desecrate peoples’ final resting places and put families through the grief and trauma of having to go through the process of repairing their loved ones’ memorial.

Those responsible for the despicable act of prying off and stealing plaques from headstones, memorials and gardens have left innocent people paying a disproportionate price for seemingly little gain.

We don’t know exactly why someone, or some people, went into the Kersbrook and Gumeracha cemeteries and made off with memorial and headstone plaques.

Some might speculate that it was to melt them down and sell the copper alloy, but we can’t be certain until whoever was responsible comes forward or is caught.

While the motives may still be unknown, these seem to be calculated acts, rather than mindless vandalism, especially given that two cemeteries were robbed in a short period of time and that whoever was responsible seem to have been targeted in what they took.

It’s similar to what happened at the nearby Kersbrook oval, in that both were impacted by seemingly senseless acts that left the community distressed, inconvenienced and out of pocket.

So it’s important that the community remains vigilant and reports any suspicious behavior in order to help prevent future incidents like these from happening again.

And whoever robbed those graves needs to wake up to their selfish actions and recognise the damage that they have caused.