It’s a curious case of “who the heck would do that? And why?”
North Cowichan’s Jacquie Gordon was devastated to learn recently that a licence plate on her vehicle had been stolen.
It would have been a hassle even if it was a regular plate, but it wasn’t just a regular plate. It was her late husband Jim Gordon’s veteran’s plate.
“My husband, who died 10 years ago, served in Wold War II, giving up five years of his young life to preserve the freedoms he so strongly believed in and that we enjoy today,” she reported. “In his memory I have been privileged to display the blue veterans licence plates on my car these past years.”
Gordon said she was in “shock and dismay” when she discovered somebody had pried the plate off the front of her car, rendering the rear plate unusable.
“This disrespectful act not only caused me inconvenience but stole a remembrance gift from my husband,” she explained. “It was quite upsetting. It’s not something you’d expect.”
Gordon doesn’t know where or when the plate was removed from the vehicle. She did report the theft to the RCMP, however.
“I have always been proud to be able to display that licence plate on my car. It’s just a special little memory that’s been taken away from me. I just thought I’d let other people know what has been happening,” she said.
ICBC did permit Gordon to keep the remaining plate and she’s got that in a safe place. Her car now has standard issue plates instead of the blue ones that had not only reminded her of her husband but were conversation starters with strangers — opportunities to remember him — while she was out and about.
“If anyone should see veterans plate 071VAN you will know it does not belong there. I sincerely hope no other veterans are dishonoured in this selfish way,” Gordon said.
