20 historic plaques, including a BHP WWII merchant seamen plaque, were stolen from Newcastle's Merchant Mariners Memorial in Australia.

Twenty historic plaques, including a significant BHP plaque honoring World War II merchant seamen, were stolen from the Newcastle foreshore in Australia, leaving the Merchant Mariners Memorial empty. Lynette Dailey, whose mother helped establish the memorial, expressed anger over the thefts, which some believe were motivated by scrap metal value or vandalism. Police may search the harbor for the missing plaques, raising concerns about the recognition of these maritime contributions.