A 28-year-old man stole treasured bronze plaques from a Quarry Bank war memorial to sell for scrap, a jury heard.
Anthony Mellor, of Windmill Hill, Colley Gate, has denied stealing the plaques from the memorial in Stevens Park. He also pleaded not guilty to handling stolen property as his trial began at Wolverhampton Crown Court this morning.
Mark Heywood, prosecuting, told the court the six plaques were probably worth £30 each as scrap but they were of great value in the community because they honoured the names of the dead from two World Wars.
He alleged Anthony Mellor had prised the plaques, which weighed a total of 16 stones, off the stone Memorial and then taken them in a van to a scrapyard in Lye.
Mellor, who was with another man was looking to cash in the plaques which disappeared from the Park in January.
Mr Heywood added: "There is only one inference - that the men in possession of the plaques were the men who stole them and then tried to cash them in as scrap.”
The trial is expected to take two days and the seven man-five woman jury look set to retire to consider the evidence on Wednesday.
The trial continues.
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