Ebenezer Scrooge's Tombstone From 'A Christmas Carol' Smashed

A vandal in Shrewsbury, England might be in for a visit from The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Authorities in the English town are investigating the destruction of a gravestone marking the fictional resting place of Ebenezer Scrooge. The prop, featured in the 1984 adaptation of A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott, had become a beloved tourist attraction on the grounds of St. Chad’s Church.

Helen Ball, the town clerk, expressed dismay over the vandalism, which left the stone shattered.

"There’s not much to see other than broken bits of the gravestone," she told The Associated Press. “You can’t even tell it said ‘Ebenezer Scrooge.’ It’s hugely disrespectful.”

The gravestone plays a major role in Dickens’ classic story, where the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come reveals Scrooge’s unnerving fate unless he changes his ways. In the film, Scrooge’s name is dramatically revealed on the tombstone, pushing him to transform into a kinder man.

The vandalism reportedly occurred between Nov. 21 and Nov. 24, leaving the gravestone broke up in several pieces. Organized tours showcasing filming locations frequently visited the site, particularly during the holiday season.

Ball expressed hope for justice, jokingly invoking the story’s ghostly elements.

"If the ghosts of past, present, and future want to visit the vandals in the middle of the night and shatter them into pieces, I think that would be poetic punishment," she quipped.

West Mercia Police continue to investigate the incident.