Yahoo News 'I am ashamed': Guilty thief returns stolen D-Day plaque with apology letter and £205 in cash
A drunk thief has returned one of five stolen D-Day memorial plaques - along with a letter of apology and over £200 in cash.
The anonymous sender, who said he was “ashamed” by his actions while intoxicated, said he was sorry for any “distress” he may have caused.
The brass plaques, which bore the names of the five Normandy beach landings - Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah - were stolen from Castle Park in Bristol on September 2.
The memorials were unveiled in front of five silver birch trees on June 6 to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
He wrote: “I hope this donation along with the plaque I returned can go some way to making up for the distress and upset that my actions have caused.
“I am very ashamed and shocked that I was capable of such a destructive act.
“Whilst I don’t want to use my drunken state as an excuse, I am certain that this is something I would never usually do.
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“I can assure you that I will never act in such a disrespectful manner again.
“I have nothing but respect for the veterans and the sacrifices that they have made for this country.
"Once again I would like to offer a sincere apology for my actions and all of the hassle that has come as a result of them."
Paul Turner, secretary of the Bristol and Warmley Veteran's Group, said he was “lost for words” when he opened the letter.
Mr Turner said he was “taken aback” by the person’s honesty and sincerity, saying: “I appreciate they have had the backbone to face up to what they have done.
"It takes a man to apologise when he has done something wrong.
"I’ve told the police investigating not to waste their time.
“If officers came back to me asking if I wish to press charges, I’d say no. They are forgiven.”
Another of the missing plaques was returned by a canoeist who found it in water next to the park.
Meanwhile, another was received by BristolLive in the post last week.
