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Police Open Inquiry After Bruce McLaren Family Graves Defaced in Auckland

Police are appealing for information in a case that exposed limited CCTV coverage at the vast Waikumete Cemetery.

Overview

  • The graves of Bruce McLaren, his wife Patricia and his parents were sprayed with gold paint, with toy cars glued to the McLarens’ headstone.
  • The damage was first identified in late September by The Grave Guardians, who are carrying out repairs with the stones currently wrapped.
  • The perpetrator is believed to have returned several times, including removing protective coverings placed over the site.
  • Roughly a dozen other nearby memorials were also affected, with reports of gel bleach, paint and destroyed ceramic portraits.
  • New Zealand Police opened an inquiry on 5 November and appealed for public information, as Auckland Council condemned the vandalism and noted surveillance gaps.