A man has been arrested for stealing flowers from the memorial dedicated to the late Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham.
According to the BBC, West Midlands Police confirmed that 45-year-old Parviz Jafari has been charged with theft after floral tributes were taken from the BLACK SABBATH bench on Broad Street. The site has become a central gathering place for fans mourning the legendary singer since his death earlier this summer.
Jafari was arrested on August 2 following reports of a theft at the location and is scheduled to appear before magistrates on September 3.
The memorial, situated near the site of BLACK SABBATH’s formation, has been covered in flowers, handwritten notes, memorabilia, and personal items left by fans. During Osbourne’s public funeral procession on July 30, his wife Sharon and children Jack and Kelly also stopped at the site to pay their respects and add their own tributes.
Birmingham City Council has since begun collecting the items left at the bench to preserve them for Osbourne’s family. Officials stated that each tribute is being photographed and catalogued, with select flowers to be mulched and scattered at his grave.
Following the public procession, Osbourne was laid to rest on July 31 in a private ceremony at his Buckinghamshire home. The service was attended by close friends and fellow rock icons.
Ozzy died in July at the age of 76 after suffering a heart attack at his Buckinghamshire residence. His passing came just weeks after performing his final show with Black Sabbath at Villa Park.
Reports from the Daily Mail indicate that on the morning of July 22, an air ambulance was dispatched to Ozzy’s Buckinghamshire estate, Welders House. The helicopter touched down in a nearby field around 10:30 a.m., before returning to its base at RAF Benson in South Oxfordshire two hours later.
“We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday,” a Thames Valley Air Ambulance spokesperson confirmed to the outlet.
His sister, Jean Powell, told The Mirror the loss took the family by surprise. “He was frail but it still came as a shock,” she said. “He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death; it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.”
The Osbourne family issued a statement the same day, sharing their grief with fans around the world: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
In recent years, Ozzy faced numerous health challenges, including a 2019 fall that left him with serious injuries and a public battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Only two weeks before his death, Ozzy made his last live appearance with BLACK SABBATH at Birmingham’s Villa Park. The historic show saw him perform four songs with his original bandmates for more than 40,000 in-person fans, while millions more watched via livestream. He also treated the audience to a five-song solo set, seated on a throne adorned with bats — a fitting final image of heavy metal’s ultimate showman.
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