200 bronze vases stolen from East Bay cemetery

One East Bay cemetery is reporting hundreds of thefts from grave sites. The Contra Costa County Sheriffs Department said nearly 200 bronze vases were stolen in Lafayette from Oakmont Memorial Park.

LAFAYETTE, Calif. - One East Bay cemetery is reporting hundreds of thefts from grave sites.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department said nearly 200 bronze vases were stolen in Lafayette from Oakmont Memorial Park.

"I just think it’s terrible to desecrate a sacred space," said Rebecca Brain, who has family buried at the cemetery. "I would hate to think that anyone was bothering their area. It’s a place of respect and that’s just completely disrespectful."

The department says a memorial bench was also vandalized.

Deputies said they don't have any leads on suspects or a timeline on when the vases were stolen.

"It's not sitting very well with myself or anyone that works here," said Sal Orozco, managing partner of Oakmont Memorial Park. "From the minute we found out that this had taken place, we were in constant communication with [The Sheriff's Office], who added that families impacted by the thefts are being offered replacement vases.

"I just can’t imagine someone going around and maybe making a profit out of people’s grief," said Makeleta Laui, whose husband is buried at the cemetery.

200 bronze vases stolen from East Bay cemetery

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department said nearly 200 bronze vases were stolen in Lafayette from Oakmont Memorial Park.

Background:

Bronze is selling for about $1.55 a pound, according to Scrap Metal Buyers, while copper is selling for about $2 a pound.

An Oakmont visitor, who wanted to remain anonymous, said they first noticed the vase was gone on Jan. 1.

The visitor said her family was shocked, upset, and felt violated. And with the vase gone, it initially made it difficult to identify and locate the gravesite of their loved one. They were told the thefts happened sometime during the holidays.

Stealing precious metals from cemeteries is not unique.

In Southern California, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported in January 2024 that someone stole more than $2 million in bronze headstones and nameplates from the Woodlawn Celestial Gardens cemetery in Compton and the Lincoln Cemetery in Carson.

The sheriff's department said, in addition, a prominent bronze statue of President Abraham Lincoln dedicated in 1934 had been damaged by suspects who seemed to be trying to remove a bronze plaque from the façade of the statue.

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