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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lucy Arundell

'You've done a horrible thing': Grave of cancer victim vandalised on her birthday

The grave site of a Canberra woman who died from cancer has been vandalised on her birthday.

Police said a rose quartz stone marking the grave has been stolen, and the granite grave plaque was pulled off its base.

Family visiting the grave at the Gungahlin Cemetery the afternoon of Monday, July 29 realised the pink rose quartz stone had been removed and contacted police.

Police said some information had been received about the incident by August 1, but no arrests had been made.

A relation of the woman posted in a community group that it was "shocking and unbelievable that somebody would do this".

"Whoever you are ... you've done a horrible thing and rebroken many hearts," the post read.

"How do we replace this? When it was borne and created through so much pain and heartache."

The rose quartz grave marker that was stolen. Pictures supplied

Friends and family devastated

The stone was stolen from the grave of Sariah Rose, who died from cancer in 2020 at the age of 27.

The site had been visited the day before and was not damaged at the time, so police say the incident occurred between Sunday and Monday afternoon.

The stone was about 30cm to 35cm tall with a circumference of about 40cm.

A friend of Ms Rose posted on social media that the site had been "damaged and desecrated".

"You have shattered the hearts of a family who will never stop grieving - the worst of this, Sariah's little boy is completely devastated. He went there this morning to see his mother only to find the act you had committed," the post read.

"This needs to come back. This needs to be undone."

Police investigating several incidents

ACT police said they have also been told of other recent incidents at the cemetery. A woman reported her phone was stolen from her belongings while she was visiting a family member's grave, and a grave marker with two gold-plated hands was stolen from a grave site.

The golden hand grave markers that were stolen. Pictures supplied

A man also told police he found a man allegedly attempting to break into his car on Monday afternoon.

The man attempting to break into the car allegedly left the scene with two other men in a white 4WD-style vehicle with an ACT registration.

Police are seeking to identify the three men who were at the Gungahlin Cemetery on Monday and are also seeking to confirm any other incidents that have occurred at the cemetery recently.

Anyone who can assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website and quote 7812019. Information can be provided anonymously.

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