Largs Bay RSL seeks public help to identify two women filmed allegedly stealing plants from memorial garden
Two women believed responsible for stealing plants from an RSL memorial garden in suburban Adelaide are being publicly shamed after police authorised the release of security camera footage.
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The Largs Bay RSL has posted images of two women allegedly stealing plants from its memorial garden on social media, in the hope of identifying the culprits.
The RSL has shared still shots and CCTV surveillance video on its Facebook page of two women it suspects of stealing about 20 plants, including an established olive tree, from its garden on Carnarvon Tce at Largs Bay.
The vision, which the RSL says SA Police has given permission for it to post, shows two middle-aged women with plants placed in shopping bags.
RSL members have been outraged by the loss of the plants that have been provided through the “kindness and dedication” of local veterans, their families, members of the local community and business sponsors.
President Peter Cates said the theft was a “despicable act” but not the first one the RSL has suffered.
“This is the third time local people have walked down the lane and just pull out trees and plants,” Mr Cates said.
“These plants and trees have special meaning for veterans as they are indigenous or found in areas of the major conflicts.
“Many were donated by veterans’ families and planted by local schoolchildren.”
Mr Cates said the initial Facebook post had been viewed by more than 20,000 people.
“The numbers were absolutely ridiculous but that’s the sense of outrage people have,” he said.
“We make no apology for posting the video and photos on Facebook with the permission of the police.
“People have already suggested who the women in the video might be and we’ll be following that up today.”
Mr Cates said the RSL had been swamped with offers to replace the plants and donations to buy new ones.
The memorial garden is named after Port Adelaide great Roy Drummond, a member of the club’s “incredibles” as a premiership player in 1913 and 1914.
Born in Largs Bay, Mr Drummond won the military medal with the Australian Imperial Force during WWI and returned home to be a founding member of his local RSL.
More than 100 comments have been posted on the RSL Facebook page expressing disgust at the thefts.
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Debi-lee Gravenall wrote: “How absolutely opportunistic. They are pretending that they are shopping in Bunnings. Forgot to go through the ‘self-serve’ checkout.”
“Do they think cameras are only on their mobiles? Rude as.”
The Magill RSL sub-branch said the thefts were part of a trend.
“We had plaques stolen from our War Memorial just weeks before Anzac Day. Shameful and disgusting behaviour,” its post reads.
The RSL is urging anyone who can identify the women to contact police and quote the reference number SAP2000105594.