T
hieves who stole a Covid memorial bench days after it was unveiled in south London have been labelled “disgusting” by the local council.
The bench, one of 23 unveiled in Greenwich borough in memory of those who died of Covid, was stolen from King George’s Field, outside Greenwich Cemetery, on Monday night.
The benches were intended as a thank you to pandemic key workers.
Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said the theft was “utterly shameful”.
“I am truly appalled that someone would steal this bench, which was installed to remember those we’ve lost to Covid-19,” he said.
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“I don’t think there’s one person in our borough who hasn’t been affected by the pandemic in some way”.
Adel Khaireh, Greenwich’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Equalities said, “The benches are a place for residents to remember loved ones and reflect on events of the past two years.
“They also serve as a thank you for the tireless efforts of key workers throughout the pandemic. The fact that someone would steal them is just beyond belief.”
It comes after residents of a south London estate voiced their anger at plants being taken from a communal garden established by a resident who died of Covid.
Residents of the Bolney Meadow Estate in Stockwell told the South London Press strangers began flocking to the garden to take plants including expensive olive trees, claiming they had been advertised as free to take on social media.
One, Audrey Lewin, said: “I came outside and said to one woman ‘excuse me what are you doing?’
“She literally had the plant in the back of her van. I told her to get out. I said ‘get out of our community and don’t come back.’”
The Standard has contacted the Met Police for comment.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/covid-memorial-kidbrooke-greenwich-cemetery-london-b982828.html
