EDMONTON -- More than 50 commemorative plaques have been stolen from benches in downtown Edmonton.

Forty-eight had been stolen from along Victoria Promenade as of Jan. 22, the City of Edmonton confirmed. 

An additional three plaques along River Valley Road were taken on Jan. 23.

The city says the incidents have been reported to police.

"It’s messed up. Like I don’t really understand why anybody would want to take those," commented Ellie Heath, who likes to walk along the promenade and sit on the benches with her father. 

"That's so many people that now their legacies are being disrespected." 

City staff are currently in the process of contacting affected donors. The plaques will be replaced at no cost to families, but the branch manager of Edmonton Parks and Roads said it will take a bit of time. 

"The metal does have a dollar value and individuals are stealing it for that dollar value," Brian Simpson told CTV News Edmonton, placing the total value of replacing the stolen signs between $10,000 and $14,000. 

He wants to see a process put in place that would require buyers and sellers of metals keep records. 

"We do have some advocacy going on around this process, but nonetheless, it speaks to a bigger issue," he commented. 

In cases where donor contact information is no longer available, the city will still replace the stolen plaque.