Woman's Body Stolen from NY Mausoleum

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS/WCBS)

EAST FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (CBS/WCBS/AP) Police in New York are investigating a shocking crime: the theft of a woman's body from a mausoleum in a Catholic cemetery.

The break-in happened at St. Charles Cemetery on Long Island, east of New York City, between 6:30 p.m. Monday and 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, when a caretaker discovered the damage.

Three mausoleums were entered and a casket was removed from one, said Suffolk County Deputy Inspector Robert Brown. He added that while cemetery vandalism is a somewhat regular occurrence, he had only heard of a body being stolen "once or twice" in his 25-year career.

Authorities said they believe more than one person was involved in the incident. Police said the suspects hopped the fence to get into the cemetery, CBS affiliate WCBS reports.

Police said the perpetrators knew what they were doing.

"They came to the cemetery prepared," Suffolk County Deputy Inspector Robert Brown told WCBS. "They knew what they would face inside the crypt and what would have to be done to remove a casket and open it."

"A casket was removed from the crypt, brought outside the mausoleum building and opened up. There there was a body removed from the casket that was opened up."

The suspects then likely had to carry the body over the cemetery fence to get away, authorities said.

The body was that of a female buried 12 years ago.

Cadaver dogs were deployed in the surrounding area in case the thieves decided to abandon the woman's remains.

The cemetery, which opened in 1914, is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. It is bordered by Republic Airport to the west and a number of other large cemeteries to the east.

"It is incomprehensible that anyone would violate the sacred resting place of those that have passed from this world to eternal life," diocesan spokesman Monsignor Kieran E. Harrington said in a statement. He added that Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has reached out to immediate family members of the woman to express his "profound sorrow and solidarity in this painful time."

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by slappy_jones August 26, 2010 6:27 PM EDT: " Well, in Christian theology, the burial is itself a witness to our faith that there is a bodily resurrection. God will raise the dead on judgment day, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting torment. But the body is not a shell we toss away never to use again, God will raise it up."

Well, that's going to be plain ole messy.; Reply to this comment

by ouchitatom August 26, 2010 4:01 AM EDT

You people hold too much sentiment toward a clay vessel no longer needed. Too much hype is put on funerals and death. I want my death celebrated by my enemies as a day of contentment for them and a celebration by my family friends because they know where i am going and my enemies are hoping I went where they wanted me too.

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by bingbong22 August 26, 2010 8:23 AM EDT: I just hope it's soon.


by August 26, 2010 2:40 PM EDT: Well, in Christian theology, the burial is itself a witness to our faith that there is a bodily resurrection. God will raise the dead on judgment day, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting torment. But the body is not a shell we toss away never to use again, God will raise it up.

Now, God doesn't need an intact burial to resurrect the dead to life, but the act of burial is part of the Catholic and Christian witness to a belief in God's promise to raise the dead.

by carrygrant August 25, 2010 11:04 PM EDT

In cases like this, the perps probably heard (falsely) that the deceased was buried wearing her expensive jewelry.

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by August 26, 2010 2:38 PM EDT: If that's the case, they'd have just left the body in the opened casket and left. They stole the body.


by LibbyB1963 August 25, 2010 1:12 PM EDT: I agree. They focused on this one individual for a reason.; Reply to this comment

by Stryder11 August 25, 2010 12:13 PM EDT

Demon-crats looking for votes and scrapping the bottom of the barrel to do it.

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by mistyeyed August 25, 2010 5:03 PM EDT: this is a very insensitive comment!!! LOOSER!


by winksme August 25, 2010 8:17 PM EDT: Even as a Republican I find this comment outrageous. This is someones loved one. Really?? You are going to reduce it to political back-biting? You have problems. How insensitive.

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by sean1z August 25, 2010 11:07 AM EDT: Dead bodies are evidence of criminal activity. The Police should consider if this young woman was murdered about 12 years ago.; Reply to this comment


by ClarksvilleTN August 25, 2010 10:57 AM EDT: Really??? Your gonna steal a body from a cemetary??? Last I heard, Wal -Mart is open 24 hours a day! What in the world do you get out of stealing a body????? Oh my goodness!!!; Reply to this comment