A 36-year-old man is facing charges in connection with several reported thefts at the Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.
Police said the investigation started on March 15 after a municipal worker doing maintenance at the cemetery notified officers that a bronze memorial plaque valued at approximately $2,000 had been pried off the front door of the Legion Chapel.
A second report was filed with police on March 24 by a local citizen who told officers that several bronze vases and plaques had been removed from gravesites.
Investigators said they were able to identify a suspect and learned that he had sold the items as scrap metal. Officers arrested a man Monday night in connection with the case.
As a result of their investigation, CK police have charged 36-year-old Jonathan Stass of Murray Street in Chatham with two counts of theft and two counts of possession of property obtained by crime. He was later released with conditions and a future court date.
In a separate case earlier this month, someone stole the metal letters from a sign at the Legion Memorial Chapel in Maple Leaf Cemetery. Police have not released any information yet on any arrests in connection with that theft.