How could they let this happen?

The gold medal awarded posthumously to the coxswain of the Penlee Lifeboat disaster was given by his family to the RNLI but appears to have been stolen from the locked vault in which it was kept.

Now this may be more cock up than conspiracy but how could they let this happen and, more to the point, what sort of person would attempt to steal such an award? It's an utter disgrace. His family must be devastated.

I wish I could post a link but for anyone wishing to know more, just google "penlee lifeboat disaster".