The Waitaki District Council is seeking information leading to the apprehension of those responsible for the vandalism of war memorials in Oamaru this week.
Vandals smashed and damaged concrete crosses, which are beside oak trees honouring North Otago men and women who died in World War 1, in Severn St and Awamoa Rd.
Some were pushed over and others damaged or had bottles smashed on them.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton described the vandalism as "just unbelievable" and "mindless desecration".
"The trees are so well known as memorials, their symbolism is well understood.
"To find there are people so far removed from the knowledge and respect of such symbols is disturbing," he said.
The North Otago Memorial Oaks committee chairman Tony Wood was upset and "absolutely ropable" about the damage.
"I'm really disappointed members of the community deliberately do this and I want to see it stopped.
"They obviously don't understand the significance of the crosses and what they mean.
"They might even be related to those people, which makes it even worse."
He believed those responsible should be made to reinstall them.
"They need to be exposed for what they've done," he said.
Each cross cost about $120 to replace.
Waitaki community safety officer Alison Banks had received information from a member of the public, who lived near Severn St and awoke at 3am on Wednesday to shouting and the sound of smashing glass.
"Acts of vandalism have a major effect on the community and the feeling of safety.
"Desecration of these types of symbols in the community is the extreme and disrespectful and should not be tolerated," Mrs Banks said.
Street signs were also damaged that morning, which was an unnecessary cost to ratepayers, she said.
Earlier this year, the council's assets committee heard that the cost of sign vandalism in the district could be more than $100,000 a year, although it was difficult to calculate a firm figure.
