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Families Heartbroken After Learning Thieves Are Targeting Headstones

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - Thieves are reaching a new low to get their hands on metal by targeting headstones in at least two cemeteries in the Denver area.

One of the cemeteries being targeted is Chapel Hill Cemetery in Centennial. Some families there say it will cost them about $100 to replace one bronze vase. Since a headstone is private property, the burden of that cost falls on the family, and not the cemetery.

CEMETERY BRONZE THEFTS Jenine Martin
Jenine Martin taking her bronze vase home to protect it from thieves (credit: CBS)

Jenine Martin made a special trip to her son's headstone Monday morning. She went there to make sure that Baby Derick's bronze flower vase was not among those stolen from the cemetery.

"It breaks my heart because we paid a lot of money for this, and it's my son's and this is what we have left to cherish him," Martin said.

Martin took the vase home until she's sure it won't be stolen.

Chapel Hill Mortuary and Cemetery manager Gill Giddens said the vases have been disappearing for the past few weeks and they're still trying to tally how many are gone, but believe it could be in the hundreds.

The thieves came in during the night.

"They were coming in at night and collecting the vases, and then taking a truck the next day back and picking them up," Giddens said.

Security cameras are now being installed around the cemetery and overnight security has also been hired. But scrap metal yards also need to be aware of the thefts so they don't purchase stolen items.

"It is against the law to take them to scrap yards, so the scrap yards need to be very attentive and hopefully contact the sheriff's department to let them know what's happening," Giddens said.

CEMETERY BRONZE THEFTS 64PKG
A hole left from where a bronze vase was stolen (credit: CBS)

Loved ones say they hope sheriff reports will help find the thieves, but it won't replace their disappointment in people.

"To come out here and have to make sure people aren't stealing is disappointing. I love coming out here and seeing him, but I don't want to come out here every time someone is stealing something just to make sure that my poor son's headstone and vase are still here," Martin said.

Giddens said scrap metal yards are required to have a letter from a cemetery when people try to scrap the metal from headstones and vases so thefts are prevented.

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