Overview
- The damage was first identified in late September by George Stewart-Dalzell of The Grave Guardians at Waikumete Cemetery.
- Reports describe gold paint on multiple McLaren family headstones, toy cars affixed to Bruce and Patricia McLaren’s grave, and the epitaph refilled in gold.
- A sister and brother-in-law’s grave was bleached, and the parents’ memorials were affected, broadening the scope of the desecration.
- The Bruce McLaren Trust expressed dismay and said the stones are wrapped during repairs, which temporarily prevents public viewing.
- The restorer believes someone returned repeatedly and removed protective coverings, and some accounts suggest the perpetrators may have been attempting repairs, leaving intent unresolved.