If people who want to make money on metal and steal plaques wanted to be honest, they could gather empty cans from the streets and country-side, and sell them for recycling.
They are not only thieves, but lazy!
The bronze in such a plaque is worth little more than a quid or two.
I don't believe that can sell the stolen plaques to a recycler in Britain, as they'd be found out. Any civil person in the recycling industry would denounce them.
Barry W-S it happened at a couple of London cemeteries recently.