Police: About 80 vases stolen from gravesites at Hillsboro cemetery - KPTV

What the report says

KPTV reports that the Hillsboro Police Department is investigating the theft of about 80 bronze vases from gravesites at Fir Lawn Cemetery in Hillsboro, Oregon. Police said the theft happened Monday at the cemetery at 1070 W. Main St. The vases were described as roughly 10 inches tall and about 10 pounds each.

The case has drawn concern because the items were taken from burial sites. KPTV interviewed Kevin Cooper, whose grandparents are buried at Fir Lawn; he said their graves were not affected, but he described the theft as deeply upsetting for families visiting a solemn place. The cemetery manager told FOX 12 that smaller mementos have disappeared before, but the cemetery had not previously seen a theft of this size.

Cemetery staff told KPTV they suspect the bronze vases may have been taken for scrap metal resale. The report cited ScrapMonster’s July 21 national average bronze scrap price of about $4.10 per pound, though police have not publicly confirmed a motive. Staff said they have contacted local metal recyclers in hopes of recovering the vases and have been notifying families whose loved ones’ gravesites were disturbed.

The cemetery has surveillance cameras, but the manager said they did not record the theft. Police are asking anyone who saw suspicious activity, has information, or has been offered vases resembling the stolen items to call the Hillsboro Police Department’s non-emergency line at 503-629-0111 and reference case No. 26-13837.