Suffolk Constabulary investigate theft of West Row Parish Council’s new village signs

A West Row authority leader is ‘heartbroken’ after newly erected signs were taken from the boundaries of the Suffolk village.

Police are investigating the disappearance of the signs, put up mid February, from Jude’s Ferry Bridge and Hurdle Drove. The signs, which had been tightly secured, were removed overnight from Saturday and officers were contacted on Sunday afternoon.

Councillor John Smith said the signs were a declaration of pride with the village having broken away from Mildenhall Parish Council to form its own authority in 2019.

The plastic signs placed at entry points read, ‘Welcome to West Row – Home of the Roman treasure’. The treasure is a point of local dispute, with the British Museum classifying it as ‘Mildenhall Treasure’.

A third sign on Mildenhall Road, the busiest passage of the three, was not taken.

Cllr Smith, who was instrumental in forming the breakaway West Row Parish Council, said: “They are great signs made to celebrate that we are the home of the Roman treasure, and they have completely vanished.

“I could only think it was someone after a memento, but why would they take two signs? And they must have gone to some effort to take them down. The materials of the signs are not worth anything.”

Police have said the incidents occurred between 3pm on Saturday and midday, Sunday.

Cllr Smith continued: “Everyone has been saying how much they liked the signs, apart from a few comments about the treasure claim.

“It is a rare thing for two signs to disappear like that and we are heartbroken.”

Anyone with information that could help a police investigation should call 101 and quote crime references: Judes Ferry Bridge – 37/13856/21, Hurdle Drove – 37/13862/21.

Read more: All the latest news from Mildenhall

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