'We feel violated': Pictou residents frustrated by thefts targeting historic plaques

A spate of thefts in Pictou County, N.S., targeting historic plaques and church bells for scrap metal have left residents feeling unsettled and frustrated.

In March, a 50-year-old brass plaque belonging to the McCulloch House Museum in the town of Pictou was stolen. In recent months, brass plaques were also ripped from two different stone cairn monuments in the communities of Lorne and Churchville. The Lorne cairn was built nearly four decades ago in recognition of Clan Dunbar, some of the first settlers from Scotland in the community.

 "They're just a little history, it's all it was. Nobody ever, ever touched anything years ago but now, nothing's sacred," said Chester Dewar, a resident of Lorne and District 12 county councillor.

Dewar said he called the local junkyards in an effort to locate the plaque but came up short. Now, it will cost more to replace the plaque than what he estimates it was sold for.

"If they got $30 for it, it would really surprise me for scrap, but it's gonna cost $3,300 and tax to replace it," said Dewar.

Arlene MacGregor lives in Churchville and said her neighbours noticed the two missing plaques from the cairn erected in the town more than 90 years ago that marked the first house in the community.

MacGregor said she never thought anyone would have any interest in some old brass plaques.

"It was quite a blow to our system, I guess you might say," said MacGregor.

A church bell belonging to the Holy Name Catholic Church in Westville also went missing and was eventually found and returned. And a bell from a church in Ballantyne's Cove in Antigonish County also went missing and was discovered in Thorburn, Pictou County.

Residents started a Facebook group called Pictou County–Stop the Thieves in response to the thefts in early April and it has since garnered more than 1,000 members. The group includes posts by residents who are documenting other stolen items in the community, including a car battery and a truck. Others are lamenting what they feel is inadequate RCMP action.

"Maybe these vandals realize that they can get away with some of this stuff now," said MacGregor.

Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon, the RCMP district commander for Pictou, said he understands why community members are frustrated.

"I feel frustration as well, we're doing all we can," MacKinnon said. "They're very isolated areas that they were taken from. So we've done canvassing and trying to get any leads on the investigation, but we're still looking as best as we can to track these down."

MacGregor saud the thefts have left a lasting impact on her small community.