There is now a heightened concern over precious metal theft, including copper wire in the Valley.
Thieves recently targeted CenturyLink Phoenix lines that had the potential to take out 911 access.
These thefts have also taken a personal toll on local families, who are dealing with memorials to loved ones being stolen right out of cemeteries.
One of the oldest cemeteries in Phoenix, St. Francis Catholic Cemetery happens to be among the latest places targeted by these thieves.
Ernesto Porras came to this cemetery last week to find his mother Yolanda’s gravestone desecrated.
“This is my mother’s gravestone. There’s just a big hole here right. And normally there is a bronze vase…and her flowers were just thrown to the ground,” he told ABC15.
Porras says this add to the emotional moments he and his family are going through, as they grieve the loss of their mother who passed away almost a year ago on September, 29th, 2021.
“I cried. You know, we’re still mourning my mother. It just makes me feel like her memory has been violated.”
Porras says his mom was a sweet lady who only saw the good in the world.
“My mom, being my mom, would probably say they must have had a need for it. She was forgiving like that.”
He is calling this a lack of respect, adding his mother’s gravestone isn’t the only one falling victim to this kind of theft.
“I’ve counted in this area 26. That completely came out of nowhere for me. And it sort of highlighted for me the problem we have with copper theft,” said Porras.
The Diocese of Phoenix tells ABC15 there is security in all of its sites, and while there have been some vase thefts…the number of thefts at their cemeteries are not on the rise.
On site management at St. Francis reassured Porras they are working to resolve this issue.
“They’ve mentioned, you know, possibly installing cameras, and replacing the vases. Though at this point, if they replace them, they may just get stolen again,” Porras told ABC15.
Bottom line is, Porras never thought such a sacred place like this would be a target for thieves.
“It represents more than just the metal that it’s made of. It represents families. It represents a lost loved one,” he added.
ABC15 reached out to Phoenix Police asking about whether or not there is a rise in theft for copper or bronze in the city. The department is working on getting us those numbers.
