Police have appealed for information after a memorial bench was vandalised in Bovey Tracey.
The memorial bench in Bullands field has been targetted twice, with three youths seen running away from the bench at around 6pm on 18th March. The bench was found with an orange swastika spray painted on it. Just weeks earlier, anti Muslim sentiments had been sprayed onto the bench.
Police say that locals were appalled by the damage and removed the obscenities. However, the bench is currently in a poor visual state.
Local PCSO Paul Wilson has recorded the damage as Racially/Religiously Aggravated Criminal Damage.
He says ” This is a particularly nasty crime where a memorial bench sited to celebrate a local man’s life has not only been damaged, but in a wholly unacceptable criminal way. Bovey Tracey is a lovely diverse town with people of all faiths, religions, and beliefs. I suspect that those responsible for the damage had little understanding of the subject matter or the response from local residents.”
If you know anything about this crime please contact the Police by calling 101 or emailing 101@dcpolice.uk
