Top three reasons why it is a bad idea to rip off Ian Curtis' memorial stone from the Macclesfield Cemetery:
1. Stealing stuff from deceased persons is wrong, and they may have ghost buddies who will haunt you.
2. There is no way that attempting to sell it on eBay does not violate the website's terms and conditions.
3. It is really mean.
In spring 1980, Mr. Curtis, the frontman for seminal Manchester band Joy Division, hanged himself at the age of 23. The past few years have seen a resurgence in all things Joy Division-related, inspired in part by album reissues, the release of the Anton Corbijn's acclaimed biopic Control (TMT Review), and a documentary released earlier this year, simply titled Joy Division.
According to the BBC, the missing stone -- inscribed with the words "Ian Curtis 18 - 5 - 80" and the song title "Love Will Tear Us Apart" -- was stolen between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning last week. Police are asking anyone with information related to the theft to contact them.
Tony Barker, spokesperson for Macclesfield Borough Council, asked for the return of the memorial stone, saying that "it would usually have flowers behind it and mementoes to Ian Curtis's life. [...] Someone's gone to a great deal of trouble to remove the memorial stone, and I hope our appeal will help return it as soon as possible."
