THE MANAGER of a crematorium said he was ‘appalled’ and found it ‘totally disrespectful’ that thieves had targeted a place of memorial.

Derek Wright, manager of South Oxfordshire Crematorium and Memorial Park, told how a gang used angle grinders to cut through locks on containers in a compound containing machinery used to maintain the grounds.

Three men have been arrested by Thames Valley Police following the burglary at the crematorium on the A338, Garford, near Abingdon, on April 29.

Mr Wright said ‘he could not answer’ why the premises was targeted, but said men had climbed over the wall, before angle grinding the locks off containers.

Mr Wright said nothing was stolen, but police officers said tools and other equipment had been taken from the crematorium at about 4pm.

The manager added: “I find it totally disrespectful to be honest, in this sort of place.

“We have just made the locks stronger.

“We have full CCTV which was in operation. We were here about five minutes after it happened.”

Mr Wright said the four-wall compound was the only place onsite which was targeted.

He added: “They knew what they were after.

“They went straight to that.”

Police said the thieves left the crematorium on the A338 at Garford, near Abingdon, in a white van.

A 25-year-old from Slough and a 33-year-old and 31-year-old from Surrey have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and released pending further investigation.