Who steals a cemetery gate? Gardaí in Cork left baffled by bizarre theft

Gardaí in West Cork are appealing to the public for help after what they describe as one of the most unusual thefts in recent memory – a distinctive cemetery gate stolen from a graveyard in Dunmanway.

The small pedestrian gate disappeared from the town’s cemetery several weeks ago, leaving locals puzzled.

Speaking on C103’s Cork Today programme with Patricia Messinger, Garda Frances Murphy of Bandon Garda Station urged anyone who may have seen the gate or knows where it is to come forward.

‘This is an unusual one,’ Garda Murphy said.

Despite its distinctive appearance, Garda Murphy noted that the gate is small enough to have been transported in a van or even an estate car.

‘It’s not a very big gate, so even a small van or an estate car you might fit it in,’ she explained.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Dunmanway Garda Station.

The theft was among a number of recent crimes discussed by Garda Murphy during the radio interview, including bag thefts on public transport, the theft of a quad bike in the West Cork area, and an increase in vehicle and property crime.

However, she admitted the disappearance of the cemetery gate ranks among the strangest incidents Gardaí have encountered in recent times.