The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) has expressed sadness after treasured items commemorating victims of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster were stolen from a memorial in Germany.

As reported by the BBC on Friday, the items were taken from a glass display case at Manchesterplatz in Munich on Monday after the case was reportedly smashed with a stone.

Munich Police told local reporters that the incident was believed to have occurred between 08:00 and 13:00 local time.

The memorial marks the site of the plane crash on 6 February 1958, which claimed 23 lives, including eight Manchester United players, as the team returned from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade in what was then Yugoslavia.

The aircraft had stopped in Munich to refuel before crashing while attempting to take off.

According to Mark Salzmann, chairman of Red Docs Munich, a glass sculpture originally presented to the city’s former mayor, Dieter Reiter, was among the stolen items, alongside several medals.

His group, made up of Bayern Munich supporters, helps maintain the memorial by collecting tributes left by football fans from around the world and placing some of them in the display case.

The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation chairman, Ifty Ahmed, said the incident would not erase the memories of those who lost their lives or weaken the friendship between the two cities.

“Those responsible may have damaged a display case and stolen treasured items, but they cannot steal our memories, diminish our friendship or destroy the legacy of those we remember,” he said.

Ahmed added that the memorial held particular importance for the families of the victims and Manchester United supporters across the world.

He also thanked Red Docs Munich for responding quickly to the incident and helping to repair the damage.

The foundation said Manchester United had offered to pay for the repairs, but it had decided to cover the costs itself. The broken glass was replaced on the same day.

Salzmann said his mother discovered the damage while driving past the memorial and stopped after noticing that something was wrong.

He described the stolen objects as unique and difficult to replace, although his group was considering working with the foundation to source replacements.

He added that messages of support received following the incident demonstrated the importance of the memorial and the lasting friendship between Manchester and Munich.

The BBC said it had contacted Munich Police and Manchester United for comment.