Man arrested in connection with damage at Sandbach War Memorial

Officers investigating damage caused to a number of wreaths and wooden crosses at the Cenotaph in Sandbach have charged a man in relation to the incident.

Pawel Jarecki was arrested on Sunday 19 February, the 30-year-old, of no fixed abode, has since been charged with criminal damage and theft.

Jarecki has been released on bail and is set to appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 5 May.

The theft charge relates to the theft of items from a convenience store in Sandbach on 19/2/2023.

Officers have arrested a man after a number of wreaths and wooden crosses were removed from the Cenotaph in Sandbach and damaged.

At around 10.30am on Sunday 19 February police were called to reports of criminal damage at the war memorial in Sandbach town centre.

Officers attended the scene and found that a number of wreaths had been removed from the memorial and thrown into a nearby stream. Wooden crosses which had been laid on the memorial were also damaged.

The incident is believed to have taken place on Saturday evening.

An investigation was quickly undertaken by the local policing unit and a 21-year-old local man has since been arrested in connection with the incident.

The man was arrested on Sunday 19 February on suspicion of criminal damage and theft; he is currently being held in police custody.

Inspector Jim Adams, of Congleton Local Policing Unit, said: “This was a deplorable act and I understand the emotional distress that it has caused in the local community.

“We are committed to doing all we can to ensure the person responsible for the damage is held accountable and I hope that the swift arrest of a suspect will provide some reassurance.”

Anyone with any information in relation to the incident is asked to contact Cheshire Police on 101, or at: 

www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us

...quoting IML 1482950.