This past week a Town of Stettler employee discovered and reported that the tree at Rene Lamoureux's memorial bench had been cut down.
Incidents such as these are not rare, especially during the festive season, said Lee Penner, director of parks and leisure services.
"We've had this problem for a while now, but during November and December it increases," Penner said. "And given the economic downturn when there's not much money to be spent, people go about stealing."
The "good-looking" Christmas tree was planted two years back at the Town of Stettler employee, Rene Lamoureux's memorial bench along the railway track in Stettler.
"It must be in someone's house now," Penner added.
Lamoureux was a waterworks foreman with the town for 25 years, according to Penner.