Thieves have desecrated family memorials at Croydon cemetery by stealing more than 150 bronze plates from the gardens of remembrance.

The council has been forced to put the remaining metal memorials under lock and key for fear they will be stolen and sold on as scrap metal.

It has also upped security patrols in the cemetery after the spate of thefts which are thought to have taken place last week.

Eddie Ranger, the manager of the cemetery records office, said: “Hopefully by highlighting this we can shame those thieves into returning what they have stolen.

“This is such an awful crime, we feel so sorry for the bereaved.”

He said they first became aware the plaques were missing when a distressed family asked them last Thursday why their memorial had been removed.

An inspection of the eight acre garden of remembrance revealed the extent of the crime and officials worked quickly to remove as many of the remaining plaques as they could.

A council spokesman said: “We are asking cemetery visitors and local residents to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour and to report anything that they see immediately.”

The authority is also looking at using smart water to mark memorials to stop them being sold on and is working closely with the police and scrap metal dealers.

Simon Hoar, cabinet member for community safety said: “These thefts are callous and heartless. They cause immense distress to grieving families and we are doing everything possible to prevent further incidents.

“Our hope is that these memorials are so obviously stolen that no scrap dealer will touch them. If that is the case then although it is unlikely I would like to think that the thieves might consider returning what they have taken.”

Police Sergeant Phyllis Rooney, from the West Thornton Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "We are aware a number of memorial plaques have been stolen from Croydon crematorium in recent weeks.

"This is a particularly cruel crime and is extremely distressing for the victims who's loved ones memorials have been desecrated.

"We have been carrying out patrols in an around the grounds of the cemetery and crematorium and will continue to work with the council to increase security measures."