Cochrane RCMP officers are at a loss as to why someone would dismantle and make off with a roadside memorial on Highway 22.
Brandon Thomas was just 17 when he was killed in a head-on collision with a driver who was in the wrong lane on December 6, 2012.
His family and friends erected the roadside memorial after his death and collected some of Brandon’s favourite things to include in it.
On Friday, July 26th someone completely dismantled the memorial and took it.
Cochrane RCMP say while the items were on public property, they are not free for the taking.
“It’s still property, I mean you park your car on the street which is a public street and people still can’t steal it so it’s theft. It doesn’t belong to whoever took it,” said RCMP Cpl. Greg Stannard.
Brandon's mother, sister and many high school friends visit the memorial regularly to help them heal.
“I go regularly. I go Thursday and I go Sunday, every week and I go on the month anniversaries which are the 6th. His friends go a lot,” said Brandon’s mom Kim.
The family has recreated the memorial at the same location since the theft but say there are some items that just can’t be replaced.
“An Xbox controller that he used to take to his friends house all the time, a spare key to one of his best friend’s car. You know those kinds of things can never be replaced and there’s no dollar value. Brandon will never use another wallet, he’ll never play Xbox again, “said Kim.
Kim says roadside memorials are a sacred place for families and she hopes people can drive by and just take a second to value the life that was lost there.
“It’s where I feel close to Brandon and where I can go and I can just sit and I can be by myself and there’s no judgment. It’s just quiet,” said Kim.
Police are asking anyone with information to call the Cochrane detachment or Crime Stoppers.
(With files from Kevin Fleming)
