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By Monique Duval 
14h ago
Cape Town – Two suspected grave robbers are behind bars after they were caught in the act in the Klip Road cemetery on Monday.
Police say the criminals, who wore reflective bibs in an attempt to mislead the public into thinking they were municipal workers, have been wreaking havoc in the cemetery, stealing flowers and desecrating graves.
Stolen flowers are sold to the unsuspecting public.
Grassy Park Station Commander Colonel Dawood Laing says that following complaints of theft from the public and cemetery staff, officers went digging.
“People weren’t opening cases for stolen flowers, but the public was outraged that people who went to the cemetery to honor their loved ones by decorating graves with flowers realized that these criminals were stealing flowers from graves and reselling them. road, ”says Laing.
“The manager came to the police station and asked for help, saying that the public was very distressed by the robberies.”
He says that while police suspect a large group of men behind the robberies, two suspects who entered the cemetery on Monday made a serious mistake when they crossed paths with Captain Ashley Petersen and her team.
“Captain Petersen and his team saw the two men and went into the cemetery,” Laing explains.
“They looked at them for a while and the men were seen with shovels and carts, but when they saw the officers, they went to hide and even lay on the ground between the graves as if they were dead.
“But they were almost scared out of their lives when they saw that the police were after them.”
Laing says that although the men, 34 and 25, were prevented from stealing anything due to the presence of police, they were arrested for trespassing and will appear in Wynberg Magistrates Court today.
“Stealing flowers may seem like a minor crime, but the lack of respect shown by these men is intolerable. You must be the lowest of the low to rob the dead.
“They also like to target the cemetery on Sundays when most people put fresh flowers on graves or right after a funeral.
“This type of theft is shameful and we ask the public to expose these people.”
Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for Community Services, adds: “There is no respect and support for the information call.
“The Klip Road Cemetery has also been attacked by thieves who continually steal the fence that needs to be replaced.”
Daily voice
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