Thieves have stolen a copper monument that lay at the grave of the parents of Pascal van de Rakt in Baarle-Nassau. A precious and irreplaceable record, because after his mother’s death, his father had designed and made the memorial himself. “My eldest brother and sister are emotionally affected,” says Pascal.
The theft happened a week ago, in the middle of the night. The next morning someone from the church discovered it and went to Pascal’s house. “I knew that copper was sometimes stolen, but it never occurred to me that they would take that cover plate with them,” says Pascal. “I’m fairly level-headed myself. But my oldest brother and sister are emotionally affected. They visited the grave more often.”
Pascal’s father designed and made the large copper plate himself after his wife died in 1995. The monument covered the grave. When father Van de Rakt died in 2007, he was buried in the grave.
“There is no inscription or drawing on it, so I’m afraid we’ll never see that plate again,” says Pascal. “If thieves bend it a bit, it looks just like a normal copper plate.” left behind was a smaller plaque with the names and dates of death of Pascal’s parents, “probably because they can’t sell those.”
A new cover plate will be installed as soon as possible, says Pascal. No longer made of copper, because then that too could be stolen.
“We have it made of Corten steel. In terms of color, it resembles rusted iron. It is cheaper material, so hopefully no one will take it with them. Perhaps the diocese will want to cover the costs through insurance, I will hear that later.”
Pascal has filed a digital declaration. An interview will follow at the police station next week. “We cleaned up everything at the grave and raked it up. My sister put some plants there and made a circle. She’s a bit more spiritual. Everything will be completely refurbished as soon as possible, but the original plate is of course irreplaceable.”
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