Cemeteries are meant to be places of quiet remembrance, but one in Brooklyn has become the target of thefts stretching back decades.

Couple distraught over missing monument

On a recent visit to Most Holy Trinity Cemetery, it took close to half an hour for Laura and Michael Hofmann to find the grave they were looking for.

"There was just so much missing, and we were going by old photographs," Laura Hofmann told CBS News New York's Hannah Kliger.

Michael's parents, Rose and Philip Hofmann, are buried somewhere in the cemetery, but the exact spot is now hard to find.

"There used to be a bench over here. I remember sitting on this bench," Michael said. "They don't maintain it like they should."

When the couple returned to the gravesite last year to pay their respects, the monument was gone.

"Both of us were so like distraught over it. Even now, I'll be getting emotional about it because it's just horrible," Laura said, wiping away tears.

Even with the exact plot number, the grave's location is no longer clear.

"This is unprecedented"

Historian, genealogist and memorialist Michael Hirsch, who spent decades visiting and caring for graves citywide, said the Hofmanns are far from alone.

"Without question where we're standing, it's the hardest hit area of the cemetery," he said.

For decades, thieves have stolen monuments from the Bushwick cemetery, maintained by Catholic Cemeteries under the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. Hirsch says there's a simple explanation.

"The stones weigh thousands of pounds, and they have no real intrinsic value other than the special value they have for families," he said of traditional monuments.

But the ones at Most Holy Trinity are different.

"These old memorials are made of copper, a very valuable metal," Hirsch said.

Walking the grounds, he pointed out countless wooden stubs marking where headstones used to be. In some areas, it's just an empty field with no visible markings, but they're all graves.

"I've seen vandalism, you know, hate vandalism occasionally ... but this is unprecedented. It is probably unprecedented in American history because of the nature of these headstones," Hirsch said.

Hirsch estimates around 1,400 monuments are missing, and that's just from a count of about one-third of the cemetery. Altogether, he believes thousands of graves have been affected.

Security increased at cemetery, Brooklyn Diocese says

The NYPD says the 83rd Precinct met with management and conducted multiple patrols at the site, sharing four reports on file from last year of people breaking in and stealing.

A spokesperson for the Brooklyn Diocese says the cemetery has increased security by adding armed guards at night, upgrading lighting and installing security bollards by the entrance.

"These actions reflect our continued dedication to preserving the sanctity, dignity, and safety of our cemetery grounds—for all who visit and for all who rest in peace within them," the Diocese said in a statement.

Replacing the Hofmanns' monument will cost hundreds of dollars. While the family is responsible for the cost of replacement, Catholic Cemeteries says it will waive any cemetery fees.

"Just the thought that it's thousands and they let this go so long, it's, it's a crime," said Laura Hofmann.

The Hofmanns say they hope sharing their story helps protect what's sacred, so no one else has to search this long to find the people they love.

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