A devastated father, who lost his daughter twelve years ago, has appealed to the individuals responsible for stealing presents from his daughter's grave to return them.
David Moffatt, whose daughter Michaela died after being shaken by her mother's partner Gavin Fletcher in May 2004, laid presents at his daughter's grave in Efford Cemetery in Plymouth on Christmas Day, and was devastated to realise they had been stolen upon his return last weekend.
Opening up about the distress this has caused, the 51-year-old said: "I was very angry at first, but that initial anger has now turned to upset. I just can't believe it has happened."
Stunned by the lack of regard given to his daughter's final resting place and the presents she had been gifted, he continued: "I can't even put it into words; I'm so upset to think someone would steal from a child's grave."
According to David, he and Michaela's grandmother, Marilyn Walder, had chosen to leave a crystal angel, a white teddy bear and a Father Christmas flower head in order to mark the season with their beloved Michaela, and were devastated to realise that their efforts had been in vain.
"I am absolutely livid; I don't know what's wrong with people, admitted David. "There are some things you do and some things you don't."
Commenting on the incident, a spokesman for Efford Cemetery confirmed that it is highly likely a member of the public stole the items, saying: "Any Christmas gifts placed are never touched by staff until the last working week of January. If the gift left was attractive, it is possible that it has been stolen."
If you have any information which may lead to the return of the gifts, contact 101 and quote criminal reference number: CR/002210/16.
