A DEVASTATED Inverkeithing woman who lost her daughter when she was just days old has spoken of the “sickening” theft from her baby’s gravestone in Hillend Cemetery.

Ruby Mae Clark died on 17th April and was the sixth baby Suzanne Wilson (42), of Kinnell Road, lost due to Hughes Syndrome – an autoimmune condition she has which causes blood-clotting and increases the chances of miscarriages.

A large pink granite rabbit was ripped off Ruby’s headstone at the end of last week – a theft which comes after many at the cemetery. A distraught Suzanne told the Press, “It is devastating enough to lose a baby and then this happens.

“It is just awful and sickening to think that someone has broken the rabbit off our Ruby’s headstone.

“Ruby was born prematurely on 24th February at 25 weeks and died at Easter time.

“There is a picture of her on the headstone so they would have known she was only a little baby. “They would have had to have taken it off with some force because it was actually a part of the headstone and was attached. I noticed it was gone instantly when I was driving up to the cemetery.

“This is the second theft from Ruby’s headstone – just two days after she was laid to rest on 25th April, fresh bouquets of flowers were taken.

“I just don’t know where these people come from.” The mum-of-four noticed the 18-inch rabbit ornament was gone on Saturday when visiting her daughter’s grave at around 5pm.

Suzanne continued, “I just can’t come to terms with the fact that someone would do something like this.

“I normally visit Ruby every day but we had family visiting and I didn’t manage to get up for a few days.

“I was so angry with myself that I hadn’t been up sooner.

“Graveside thefts are becoming more and more frequent and it is just disgusting – there has been quite a number of things stolen from Hillend Cemetery and it is just so sad.

“Solar lights are being stolen and I know of cars stolen from a little boy’s graveside just up from Ruby.

“It is sickening – you can’t leave anything now.” This is the third graveside theft story the Press has reported this year from Hillend and also Dunfermline Cemetery – one of which also included the vandalism of another baby’s grave.

William Greig, bereavement services officer at Fife Council, said, “We understand that this must be a very distressing situation for Ruby’s family.

“I’d be more than happy to speak to anyone about any concerns they may have about Hillend Cemetery.

“By their very nature, cemeteries are public places and we feel it’s right that the public should have access to them at any time. For that reason, we would try to discourage families from leaving anything of great sentimental or monetary value at gravesides.” Sergeant Brian Henderson, of Dunfermline Police Station, told the Press that extra patrols would be carried out due to the recent “despicable” thefts from Hillend Cemetery.

The police are appealing for anyone who has information or seen anything suspicious to contact them on 101 in order to catch those responsible.