A reader sent an email

appealing for increased vigilance among people decorating their loved ones’ graves.

I wanted to report a serious problem involving the widespread theft of grave candles, flowers and decorations. A group of cemetery thieves is operating at our cemetery in Bolesławiec, stripping graves of literally everything.

If something is left on a loved one’s grave in the evening, there is no trace of it in the morning. I have noticed that some paths, especially the main ones, have graves without any wreaths or candles. It looks as though this group of thieves walks through the cemetery and takes everything in its path.

For the police, it is a minor offense. The cemetery administration claims that it is not required to have monitoring. This year, the thieves are exceptionally brazen. The stolen items probably re-enter circulation and are sold. Considering the significant rise in the prices of grave candles, which cost around 20 zlotys on average, and cheaper grave decorations, which cost around 35–80 zlotys, this practice brings cemetery hyenas enormous profits. I appeal to everyone who cares for their deceased loved ones to be more vigilant and to exercise caution when making purchases.

What have you observed? Are thefts really more frequent this year? You can warn others or share information about the situation in the comments.