At this rate there soon won’t be much left in Howick to steal.
First, a bronze plaque installed in Fencible Walk Park in Picton Street in late 2022 as part of the Howick 175th anniversary celebration was stolen earlier this year. It has not been recovered and has since been replaced.
Then two plaques attached to a memorial rock at Howick Beach, and which commemorated the lives of three young boys who drowned nearby in the 1950s, was stolen sometime in the last week between September 3-7.
Now, a large bronze object known as a ‘plane table map with distances’ which was attached to a plinth near the Cenotaph on Stockade Hill in Howick has been stolen.
Its theft was raised by a local resident who informed Howick Local Board chairperson Damian Light today, September 11, of the disappearance.
A plane table is described as a device used in “surveying, site-mapping, exploration mapping, coastal navigation mapping and related disciplines to provide a solid and level surface on which to make field drawings, charts and maps”.
The one on Stockade Hill was installed by the Rotary Club of Howick in late 2011 to mark the club’s 50th Jubilee year.
It was unveiled at a public ceremony attended by local politicians.
“I understand other bronze plaques have been vandalized and stolen at Howick Beach as well,” Howick Rotary president Rob Mouncey says.
“What is happening in our society? These are appalling acts of vandalism.”
Light says he understands council staff are reporting the plane table’s theft to police.
“It’s frustrating. It’s just painful because obviously there’s the expense of getting it replaced and the whole process we have to go through to do that.
“We were very lucky with the 175th plaque, that some generous local groups said, ‘we’ll fund it’, which is very generous of them and they shouldn’t have to.
“But this one and the ones at the beach, that’s particularly bad because not just that it’s a plaque and it’s painful and frustrating and the police have to get involved, but it’s really disrespectful to the memories of the people it represents.
“Not that taking them from anywhere is okay. It’s vandalism and theft, but it’s particularly disrespectful when it’s a memorial plaque for people who passed away. It’s awful.”
Light says if the plaques and the plane table were stolen to be sold for scrap they wouldn’t fetch a very high price.
“I’m assuming that’s what it is and it’s not just pointless vandalism. I heard from police a couple of weeks ago there was a spate of incidents where people had their brass letterbox numbers stolen.”
His message to anyone who has the stolen plaques or plane table is simple: “Return them.
“Drop them off somewhere where they can be returned. The police station would be a good start, but I appreciate if people want to remain anonymous that’s fine.
“We just want them back and if people know something about it they should tell the police so they can investigate.
“It’s not the value of the metal or the replacement that’s the issue, it’s the disrespect of public assets and the community.”
Light says he hopes any scrap-metal dealer with scruples wouldn’t buy such an object.
“Particularly when it’s clearly a memorial plaque.
“If it’s some generic numbering or letters from someone’s letterbox or whatever, maybe, but when it’s clearly a memorial plaque you’d think they’d hopefully have some [scruples].
“But maybe they don’t. Maybe they’ve managed to find someone who will take it, which is a bit frustrating, but again it’s just not worth it, what they’ll get for it.
“They’re not highly valuable, they’re not made of valuable metals, they’re just made of bust metals that are going to last for a bit.”
As the stolen plaques were on public land, Light is seeking advice from Auckland Council as to what role it will play in them being replaced.
“I would have thought we would have some responsibility to replace them. We haven’t got budget for it but that’s alright, that’s another conversation.
“It’s all public money that’s just getting wasted on the investigation and the tidy-up and all that kind of stuff. I think it’s shocking.
“I don’t understand the mindset of people who think they can help themselves to other people’s stuff.”
Auckland Council manager of area operations for Howick, Marcel Morgan, says the council and local board are aware of the recent thefts from two public sites in the suburb.
“Auckland Council and Howick Local Board are aware of the recent thefts from two public sites in Howick.
“We are disappointed to hear that two memorial plaques were stolen from Howick Beach, and a large toposcope (the plane table) was removed from its plinth on Stockade Hill.
“Each of these sites provided historic information and had significant meaning to members of our community.
“Our team will work with the Howick Local Board to explore appropriate replacement options for both locations.
“We urge anyone with information about these stolen items to contact the police.”
