Man charged with stealing markers from veterans’ graves

[In Other News]

Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Mass.)

WORCESTER — A North Grafton man allegedly stole more than 140 veteran service grave markers from area cemeteries and sold them to scrap metal dealers.

Alan A. Long Jr., 44, of 23 East St., North Grafton, was charged with receiving stolen property valued at more than $250 and crimes against morality and decency by removing grave markers. Police said Mr. Long posted $500 cash bail and is scheduled for a pretrial conference Nov. 8.

Police said Mr. Long stole veteran grave markers and sold them to area scrap metal dealers. Police said he received about $500 cash for scrapping 142 brass markers and 76 brass rods.

The police License Division received a call last Friday from the owner of Starr Scrap Metals, who told them he had just taken in, for the second time in two days, cemetery veteran service grave markers for scrap. Police said the owner took possession of the brass markers from Mr. Long. Starr paid $148.35 for 42 markers from the two transactions.

Read more: http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111014/NEWS/110149734/1101/local

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You know, I realize the US economy is in rough shape, but this is just plain-assed scummy.

[Tx4obama]

1. Well this part of the story doesn't make much sense ...

SNIP

... Information obtained during the police interview indicated most of the brass markers Mr. Long was trying to sell came from Hope Cemetery, Notre Dame Cemetery and All Faiths Cemetery in Worcester.

SNIP

Police said they are trying to identify the ownership of the markers and return them to their proper place. The markers will be brought to Hope Cemetery, 119A Webster St., on Monday so family members can claim missing markers. Many of the markers are stamped with American Legion, Elks, U.S. Marines, Fire Department and World War I and World War II insignias.

SNIP
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IMO
So, Since they know which cemeteries most of them came from it seems like they would contact the 3 cemeteries (plus Woodlawn Cemetery in Clinton and Oak Hill Cemetery in Sterling) and give each of them a list of the names. Then the cemeteries can look the names up in their records. Because family members from ALL the towns around there probably aren't going to be hearing about it by Monday.

[James48]

2. Variety of types of markers.

The reason police don't know which marker came from which grave, is that there are many different types of markers and medallions.

Korean War, WWII, WWI, Spanish American war, etc.

Some are provided by the V.A.

Some are privately manufactured and sold.

Here is a WW I type:


and another privately sold WW II type:




Each has a different design.

There is no easy way to figure out which medallion goes on which grave.

[madokie]

9. What gets me is they should be able to figure out which one came from where

I know I put together a lot of stuff that I didn't take apart and have no idea of how it was assembled to begin with and I just study the individual pieces for a bit paying attention to the areas where something was. Everything that has been attached to something leaves a finger print on both pieces that you can identify as this piece came from right here because of this little spot here and that one there went with that one over there and on and on. I wish I was close I would offer to do that for them.

[kickysnana]

10. Look to the genealogists to help with this. Cemeteries are underfunded unfortunately. n/t

[truthisfreedom]

3. The scrap dealer didn't call after the first batch?

Downright unscrapulous.

Pardon the pun. The thoughtlessness of this particular crime is beyond astounding. Scrap dealers should have those bullet-proof airlock double-doors with electrically operated locks on each like pawn shops have, so they can trap people and hold them for the police. Both pawn shops and scrap yards are major pipelines for crime.

[CottonBear]

4. In the area where I live, copper theft is out of control, Entire HVAC units are stolen daily.

Even a local church had its HVAC unit stolen last week.

There a several scrap metal recyclers in the area. The local papers only report the copper thefts. No mention is ever made of any investigation of the recyclers.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. The scrap metal industry is like the towing industry,

99% give 1% a bad name, some friends had their vacation home stripped of their garage door, the aluminum siding on the garage, the iron railings on their deck, their gutters and downspouts, their BBQ and even the chimney off the roof!

Thankfully the meth heads didn't manage to break into the house itself.

The metal recyclers in the area keep their smelters running 24/7 (which is ridiculously inefficient) so they can destroy the evidence in mere seconds after the tweekers come through the gate.

[CottonBear]

8. Yikes! How awful for your friends.

I had not thought about how the recyclers could melt down the metals on site.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

16. $17,000 in damage to steal $150 worth of scrap

And they hit three other homes in the area, they were just fortunate the meth addicts were looking for aluminum.

[Throd]

14. I was once able to sell 100's of perfectly good signs to a recycler, no questions asked.

I was working for a sign company that was doing a bank changeout. I ended up with a crapload of signs, many of which looked new. I was amazed that nobody at the recycling yard batted an eye when I showed up with a truck bed full of hacked off signs.

[Lasher]

6. Authorities need to clamp down on scrap dealers.

That's the only way this type of crime will be curtailed.

[Brother Buzz]

12. California enacted a law with a bit of a bite

AB 844, co-sponsored by Farm Bureau, puts an end to a pattern of quick cash for metal thieves by requiring recyclers to hold payment for three days, take a thumbprint of anyone selling scrap metal, photograph the metal and document its origin.

[Lasher]

13. That is a very good idea.

We need a federal law like that. I think I'll contact my state legislators as well as my US Senators and House rep. Do you know if any other states have followed suit?

[Brother Buzz]

15. Don't know

The genesis of the action was to counter the rampant theft of agricultural irrigation equipment (aluminum) in the Central valley farm communities a few years back. The law has been put to good use in urban areas and reputable scrap dealers are not only willingly complying, they are even praising it.

Win, win.

[Arkansas Granny]

18. Arkansas has enacted similar laws.

There has been a big problem with copper wiring and plumbing being stolen from houses under construction.

[Yon_Yonson]

7. What an asshole

I sell scrap brass/copper/steel and my scrap yard guy knows me but still every transaction requires Driver's License identification and it is photocopied with each deal.

[iandhr]

11. awful

hope they catch this guy

[MADem]

17. I am SO pleased that they caught that little fucker.

He's been doing this all over the state. It's getting absurd.