Two arrested over memorial thefts

The recovered plaque was stolen on Sunday night

Two men have been arrested over the theft of bronze plaques from a war memorial in Plymouth, Devon.

The plaques were stolen from the naval war memorial on Plymouth Hoe, hours after a Veterans' Day event on Sunday.

The arrests of the men aged 37 and 39 follow a search by officers at a house in the Embankment area of the city.

One plaque was recovered by officers but had been cut up. Police said they had "positive leads" on the location of the other three.

It is thought the memorials have been stolen for their scrap value

A scrap metal dealer in the Plymouth area, who does not want to be identified, contacted police and the plaque was recovered from him.

Police said the plaque, listing the names of some of the city's war dead, had been cut into four pieces and someone had tried to grind some of the names away.

Veterans and families of serving personnel have angrily condemned the thefts.

The plaques, which are valued at about £2,000 each, were in the process of being restored.

The recovered plaque is now going to be forensically examined in a bid to find out who stole it.