Twenty-three of the 41 individual bronze plaques for victims of the Ballantynes fire on November 18, 1947, were stolen over the weekend from the Ruru Lawn Cemetery in Bromley.
One row of the memorial had been completely stripped by vandals.
At least seven plaques from wooden benches throughout the cemetery were also targeted – some of which were left damaged by the removal process.
Christchurch City Council head of parks Rupert Bool said the theft had been reported to police and the plaques would be replaced.
Police now want to hear from anyone who can help with their investigation.
"We know the community will be disturbed by the theft of plaques commemorating victims of the fire, and we would like to hear from anyone who has information that could help us identify the person or people responsible," a police spokesperson said.
"If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the file number 250121/2581. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111."
Bool said the city council “is looking at new ways to deter thefts”.
“The council is concerned about the disappearance of historic plaques, which commemorate significant events and individuals that have shaped our city," Bool said.
The Ballantynes memorial was built by the city council to remember those who perished in the fire.
The thefts continue a trend of plaques disappearing from cemeteries and other historic sites in Christchurch.
It includes an Addington Cemetery plaque commemorating the lives lost to deadly diseases like typhoid in the 1880s, a drinking fountain at Dickens Street Reserve, Addington, another plaque in Ruskin Reserve, Addington, and one bought by the citizens of Christchurch in December 1963 for Ashgrove Reserve in Somerfield.
Said Bool: "The council shares the community’s concerns about the disappearance of historic plaques, which commemorate significant events and individuals that have shaped our city.
"We take these incidents seriously, recording all reported thefts and allocating an annual budget for plaque renewal or replacement to preserve our shared heritage.
"To address the rise in thefts targeting plaques for scrap value, the council is exploring alternative materials that deter theft while maintaining historical integrity."
