Graveside Thefts in East Farmingdale

Suffolk County Police are investigating a series of recent graveside vase thefts at

The Nassau County Criminal Defense Attorneys report that 38 bronze vases have been stolen from St. Charles in recent months, but only nine of the thefts were officially reported to the Suffolk Police Department. Another 150 vases made of the valuable metal have also been stolen from nearby

On NBC New York, East Meadow Resident Kathy Peranzo said she was upset that a bronze vase was stolen from her son's gravesite at St. Charles.

Peranzo's son Philip lost has battle to colon cancer six years ago. A few weeks back, Peranzo arrived at her Philip's gravesite to find that the bronze vase was stolen. This is one of nine cases of theft that's been reported to Suffolk County police at St. Charles Cemetery.

"I can't even imagine anything lower than stealing from the dead," Peranzo said. "How can anyone do that? The families are still mourning them."

From NBC New York:

The Brooklyn Diocese of the Roman Catholic church, which runs St. Charles Cemetery, said it has increased security since these thefts were first reported and that it has reported the thefts to police as well as the individual family members.

A few victim families told NBC New York they received letters from the cemetery telling them about the thefts and advising them it would cost a few hundred dollars to replace. It's a cost most of the families do not believe they should be responsible for.

"If there was graffiti, wouldn't they clean it up?" Peranzo asked NBC New York. "If people pushed over the gravestones, wouldn't you fix them? Of course they would. I don't understand what the difference is."

Have any graves you know of been victim of theft? Tell us in the comments.