PRINCETON, W. Va. -Recently, two men were arrested in connection with property damage at a Beckley cemetery. Sadly, destruction of cemetery property isn’t an issue unique to Raleigh County.
Capt. Jesse J. Ruble with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department tells us similar cases have happened at cemeteries in Mercer County, with one happening this past year in the Green Valley area.
He says they’ve seen multiple cases of people vandalizing things like gravestones by flipping them over. However, Capt. Ruble says, it’s actually more common to see thieves stealing things from cemeteries, like bronze vases, which are typically are unrecoverable, since they’re usually quickly melted down or sold.
He says cemeteries are often targeted because criminals believe they can get away with it, with not many living people around them, adding that it’s often a “crime of opportunity.” However, like these recent examples, criminals do get caught, facing misdemeanors or even felonies as a result.
But as Capt. Ruble sees it, the threat of punishment shouldn’t be the only reason to not commit these crimes.
“…When you get into cemeteries and stuff like that, you have families that have a sentimental value…. some, you know, they go to visit with their deceased relatives, so they’re kind of infringing on their solitude and their place to be with their family,” says Capt. Ruble.
If you do notice anything damaged or stolen in a cemetery, Capt. Ruble encourages you to contact 911 to report the crime.
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