Overview
- Headstones for Bruce McLaren, his wife Patricia, and his parents were sprayed with gold paint and toy cars were glued to the grave, with additional damage reported to his sister’s family plot and other nearby stones.
- The damage was first identified in late September by volunteer restorer George Stewart-Dalzell, who reported repeated interference and said the offender may have believed they were attempting a misguided “restoration.”
- New Zealand Police have launched an inquiry and appealed for public information following the trust’s confirmation of the desecration this week.
- The Grave Guardians are undertaking pro bono repairs and the stones are currently wrapped and not available for viewing.
- Auckland Council condemned the acts and noted Waikumete’s limited CCTV coverage given its size, urging people to report incidents rather than attempt untrained fixes.