Lauren Maillet, interim executive director, shows the location at the Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 where plaques were stolen again. Some of the same plaques were stolen in 2023. Jim Wells/Postmedia

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After being the victim of plaque thefts three years ago, The Hangar Flight Museum in northeast Calgary is heartbroken once more after five memorial plaques were stolen on Sunday.

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Five of the seven plaques located right outside of the museum were taken by a group of people using a crowbar at around 4 a.m., said interim executive director Lauren Maillet.

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After all seven plaques were stolen in 2023, replicas were re-created through detailed photos of the originals and were cast in aluminum to help deter future thieves, Maillet said.

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“We replaced them after our previous theft with something lower value, and we also added a gate fence to part of our property, but unfortunately it just hasn’t done enough to deter thieves, because all but the tiniest two of our plaques were taken again,” Maillet said.

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Three large plaques were located near a large rock by the helicopter to commemorate the British Commonwealth Training Plan, where their main hangar was originally used as a drill hall in 1941, air forces of the Commonwealth, and Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division.

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Lauren Maillet, interim executive director, shows the location at the Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 where plaques were stolen again. Some of the same plaques were stolen in 2023. Jim Wells/Postmedia

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Four smaller plaques near the Commonwealth flags outside of the museum commemorated the nations that were part of the training plan during the Second World War.

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After the original plaques were stolen, the museum replaced them through support from the community and the Veterans Association, Maillet said.

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“Part of why we did the aluminum as well, was that we were able to then afford to replace them because replacing them with the original material, cost estimates were $20,000 or more,” she said. “And so replacing them with aluminum came to just under $10,000.”

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Although only five were stolen this time, Maillet wouldn’t be surprised if the price to re-cast the plaques went up.

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The museum has been in contact with Calgary police, but the investigation hasn’t gone very far yet, Maillet said.

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They have also reached out to local scrap metal facilities, but have found no success.

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It’s been very disheartening over the weekend for the museum too as its men’s bathroom was also vandalized shortly after the plaques were stolen.

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Overall, the museum is saddened by this theft and hopes for their return.

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“It’s not just the value of the medal, it’s what it means to the community and what we’re saying about how we recognize the sacrifices of our veterans,” Maillet said. “So I know people can be desperate and affordability concerns are really high right now, but I don’t think these thieves have gotten what they’re hoping for. I really doubt that they knew that they were aluminum. I think it’s a lose-lose-lose situation here where absolutely nobody has won.”

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If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the plaques, Maillet said they can reach out to the museum or police.