3 plaques stolen from Poland Forest

POLAND

Three bronze plaques were stolen from Poland Municipal Forest, including one marking the original donation of more than 200 acres by the Butler family.

That plaque marks Butler Circle, which sits about a quarter mile into the forest from the College Street entrance with the Bremner

Shelter and the Zedaker Pavilion. The Mitchell entry plaques also were discovered missing about the same time as the Butler plaque.

Joe Mazur, village council president, said the plaques were first noticed missing over the winter, maybe four to five months ago and before the death of Robert Zedaker Jr., Poland Municipal Forest Board president, in early January. Zedaker’s wife, Elinor, later was appointed to president as she wants to finish what her husband had begun.

Dorothy Butler, a descendant of the Butler family, said she only recently discovered the plaque was gone.

She said many have presumed that all three plaques, which were brass, were stolen and sold for scrap, as they were taken at once.

“It’s such an atrocity and this has just gone on too far,” she said. “Who are these people paying cash for this?”

Poland Village Police Chief Russell Beatty Jr. said no report has been filed on the matter.

“If [someone] would report it to us, we would follow up on it,” Beatty said.

Read more about the theft and how you can help in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.