Trust appeals for help after Minster bronze information plaques stolen

The plaques were worth about £80 as scrap metal but it will probably cost about £7,000 to replace them with aluminium copies – less tempting to thieves.

The plaques, recording events in the Christian history of York, were part of a tradition going back 60 years. Three of those taken had been in place since the 1970s. They were stolen early on the evening of Friday October 7, while hundreds of people walked past. A fifth plaque was unscrewed and leaned against a wall ready to take away but a member of the York Minster staff spotted it and realised something was wrong.

“It was all very depressing,” said the director of the Civic Trust, Peter Brown, last night.

“But I was really encouraged to get a call from a woman in Whitby, who is a regular visitor to York, asking where she could make a contribution to the cost of replacement. We have decided there should be a fund and we are setting it up.

“People who love York will be able to find the details on our website – or meanwhile they can just call me, on 01904 655543, or email [email protected].”

York Minster Police said the CCTV system which usually monitored the Minster precinct was undergoing maintenance when the thieves hit, but was now fully operational once again.