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August 11, 2010 in City
Metal thieves hit 2 Spokane cemeteries
Thieves looking for valuable metal may be responsible for the loss of flower pots and urns at two Spokane cemeteries in the last two weeks, detectives announced today.
The stolen loot is valued at nearly $25,000 and consists of more than 300 bronze pot and cases stolen from the Spokane Memorial Gardens and the Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
“Bronze is worth money, and I can’t think of any other reason they’d steal them,” said Sgt. Dave Reagan, spokesman for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The thefts first occurred the weekend of July 24 at Spokane Memorial Gardens, 5909 S. Cheney-Spokane Road.
Employees reported 50 14” by 18” bronze flower pots, valued at $9,000, missing between 5 p.m. July 24 and 8 a.m. July 27.
Then between 4 p.m. Aug. 6 and 8 a.m. Aug. 9, someone stole 270 six-inch bronze vases from the Niches and Crypts areas of Greenwood Memorial Terrace, 211 N. Government Way. Employees estimated the value at $15,000.
Investigators suspect the thieves used a vehicle to haul the loot because of the weight of the bronze items, Regan said.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips. Call 1-800-222-TIPS or submit tips online.
It’s the second report of theft at Spokane cemeteries in about two months.
In June, prosecutors charged Robert P. Sullivan, 45, with two felonies after police said he stole at least 150 plants from the Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N.Wall, between June 4 and June 6, then resold them outside his home.
The flowers had been sold for $25 to families of the deceased in honor of Memorial Day.
Sullivan’s next court appearance is set for Aug. 30 on charges of second-degree theft and first-degree trafficking in stolen property.
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Racingmom on August 11 at 3:11 p.m.
Absolutely disgusting! I have had trinkets stolen from my son’s headstone and it makes me sick to my stomach. There is just something so morally wrong with stealing from a cemetery.
Perhaps it’s time to install video cameras (but then those would probably get stolen too). I am just wondering where they are selling the brass - wouldn’t it be a bit suspicious to have someone show up to recycle/scrap that many similar brass pots?
I am not a proponent of locking people up and throwing away the key, and I understand addiction is a disease. How desperate one must be to steal from the dead… If someone is funding their addiction via stealing from cemeteries perhaps it’s time to send them to a lock-down treatment for a very long time.
zelda on August 11 at 5:09 p.m.
You’ve got to hope that brass flower urns, especially the type used on cemetary crypts and niches, would be recognizable as such if taken to reputable scrap dealers. Once these pond scum thieves discover they can’t sell them, they’ll probably just dump them.
Such a big haul makes me wonder how many were involved in the thefts and how long it took them to do it.