Man arrested for stealing vases from El Mirage funeral home

EL MIRAGE, AZ - Police have arrested a man accused of stealing nearly 200 vases from grave sites at an El Mirage funeral home.

El Mirage Officer Robert Peoples said the arrest of Jose Lopez came after a month-long investigation into the thefts.

According to Peoples, the investigation was launched after reports that 180 bronze vases, valued at over $110,000, had been stolen from grave sites at the Sun West Funeral Home.

Raul Galvin, whose grandparents are buried at the cemetary was upset even though their grave was not impacted.

"People go there and put things in the vase, sometimes money or things that bring memories.  To steal that is horrible," he said.

Arizona Metal Management, out of Phoenix, along with an anonymous tip from a concerned citizen helped El Mirage police identify Lopez as a suspect in the case.

The vases have since been returned to the funeral home.

Lopez was interviewed and booked into the 4th Avenue Jail on charges of trafficking stolen property, facilitation and forgery.