Men charged after bronze plaques stripped off Ilfracombe war memorial

Six bronze plaques were prized off this war memorial in Ilfracombe Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police

Police have charged two men following an investigation into the theft of six bronze plaques from the war memorial in Ilfracombe earlier this week.

The panels contained the names of local soldiers who died in the two world wars. They went missing sometime between Wednesday 10 January and Thursday 11 January.

The plaques were recovered in Bideford on the afternoon of Thursday 12 January.

The plaques contained the names of those who died in the two world wars Credit: Marie Louise Cartland

Jason Vickers, aged 43 of Barton Tors, Bideford and Ben Pearsall, aged 39, of Fore Street, Torrington, have been charged with handling stolen goods and dealing in tainted cultural objects.

They appeared at Exeter Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 13 January and pleaded guilty to dealing with cultural objects. They have been remanded in custody to appear at Exeter Crown Court on 12 February for sentencing.