Thieves Stealing Plaques, Vases From Plots At Plain Lawn Cemetery in Hicksville

HICKSVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- For the past few days, Adele Meyer has spent a lot of time thinking about her deceased aunt and uncle, and that's because the Freeport resident recently learned that one of her family's cemetery plots was robbed.

"I had come to decorate the graves for Easter," Meyer told CBS 2's Elise Finch on Wednesday, "and I turned around and noticed that the plaque wasn't there. It was just dirt where their names used to be."

A large brass plaque with Charlie and Virginia Bailey's names on it was ripped out of the ground.

Over the past few months thieves have ravaged the tiny Plain Lawn Cemetery in Hicksville. They've stolen almost every bronze vase on the property and at least seven brass plaques , each of which is valued at $1,700.

"Apparently they're getting money for the metal, because metal right now is paying very well," Meyer said. "That plaque went on the grave in 1966, so whether they're older plaques and they're not holding on as securely and they can get them off, I really don't know. But it's pretty much the lowest of low, to do something like that."

The management at Plain Lawn Cemetery told CBS 2 that they've notified members of all the families impacted by these thefts and the local police.

"It makes me nervous because anybody could be walking in and out, and those are our loved ones that are buried," Inwood resident Carmela Curcio said. "That's their resting place. There's nothing on this Earth that could get you to that level."

Nassau County police are investigating, but there are no surveillance cameras at Plain Lawn Cemetery. So all the victims can do is hope that someone will come forward with information about the person or people who've made a business out of stealing from their loved one's graves.

Have you ever heard of cemetery plots being robbed? And is it simply the lowest of the low? Sound off with your stories and comments below...