A man and woman were recently charged in connection with the theft of keepsakes from graves at Iredell Memorial Gardens.
Mark Wesley Moore, 30, and Mary Elizabeth Moore, 52, both of Overcash Road, Mooresville, were each charged with possession of stolen property.
A number of solar-powered crosses and angels, believed to have been taken from graves at Iredell Memorial Gardens in the weeks near Christmas, were recovered, Iredell Sheriff Phil Redmond said.
Detective Sgt. Errin Jenkins said he began investigating the case after six people reported the crosses or angels being taken from graves.
Jenkins said he had no leads or suspects until an article ran in the Record & Landmark last week.
"That generated several calls," Jenkins said.
Many of those calls directed him to the Overcash Road home of the two people charged.
Jenkins said he spoke to Mary Elizabeth and Mark Moore, and both said they got the angels and crosses from a woman in the parking lot of a business in Troutman.
Mary Elizabeth Moore said the woman gave them the angels and crosses when Moore asked her where she got them.
"She said she told the woman she liked angels and crosses,"Jenkins said.
The angels and crosses were located at the Moore residence, Jenkins said, and a number had names and dates on them.
Those with names have been returned to the owners.
Jenkins estimated the value of the recovered stolen property at $760.
The identity of the person or persons who actually took the grave keepsakes is still unknown and the case remains under investigation.
Jenkins said a number of the angels and crosses did not contain any identifiers. Anyone who had one of these items stolen between December 2009 and January 2010 and have not filed a report should contact Jenkins at (704) 878-3180.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement