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Kentish Town Community Centre members, from right, Jennifer Tang, Finn Donovan, Ethel Horacek, Leyla Keba, with her mother centre worker Nuru Keba and sister Ayda Keba, manager Justina Forristal and Jane Donovan |
Thieves snatch treasured mosaics
Artwork created by youngsters to bridge generations is stolen from community centre wall
THE mystery theft of three mosaics from outside a community centre has left its members puzzled and shocked.
Three panels were stolen from the wall of the Kentish Town Community Centre in Busby Place between Monday and Tuesday last week.
The crime has stumped both their owners and police officers because the artwork is not worth much and yet was apparently snatched by professionals.
Centre manager Justina Forristal called the thefts a “mystery”.
She said: “They have huge sentimental value, but not much financial worth. It’s a mystery where they have gone, maybe they’re propping up someone’s rockery.
“We’re really disappointed. Eighty people came together to design them – it was a really good living history project.”
The mosaics were unveiled during a ceremony attended by the mayor of Camden in March last year.
The panels that have gone missing featured scenes from Kentish Town’s past, including a false teeth factory and a piano warehouse, as well one chronicling the life and times of a former member of the centre who died.
Ruby Clarke inspired youngsters to design mosaics based on her life after she brought in photographs of herself ballroom dancing as a young woman.
Retired Ethel Horacek, a friend of Ms Clarke, said the thefts had left her devastated.
She said: “It’s heartbreaking.
“It brought the past and the present together, and the children were so interested and put so much effort in to it. It’s terrible – whoever’s taken them, they’ve taken the heart out of this place.”
Staff at the centre are also disappointed that gloomy predictions made by neighbours about the safety of the mosaics have been proven right.
Ms Forristal added: “People have a feeling if you put something up in public it will get damaged and that the young will destroy it. We felt it was worth doing and that it would be respected – and until now it has been.”
Cathy Crawford, the chairwoman of the community centre’s trustees, said: “I really hope we can get them back. Even if they’re broken, we can repair them – if someone knows where they are or can find them please bring them back what-ever shape they’re in.”
Ms Horacek added: “They were the crown jewels of the area. Will they bring them back? They can’t live with this on their conscience – they don’t realise how much they meant to the young and old generation.”
“I hope Ruby will be looking down and haunting the thieves.”
Sgt Peter Ryan, of Kentish Town police, said: “We haven’t got any leads or suspects at the moment but it’s really disappointing that after so much hard work to put something up to benefit the community someone sees fit to remove it. Hopefully we can return them to their rightful place.” |
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