Deputies: Thieves Stole Nearly 91 Vases From Woodland Gravesites

WOODLAND (CBS13) — Sheriff's deputies say two thieves stole bronze vases from nearly 100 gravesites outside Woodland in an attempt to turn a quick buck.

The bronze vases that were stolen cost about $200 each, but scrap metal thieves likely won't get more than $5 out of it.

Anita Argumedo threw out her late father's flowers shortly after finding out the vase that held them was stolen from his gravesite.

"I just don't know what to say," she said. "Very sad to hear that this happened."

A few weeks back, Monument Hill Memorial Park manager Lyle Tippetts discovered all the missing vases, with flowers strewn all over the place.

"I said this is a problem. We've been robbed," he said.

In all, he says 91 bronze vases were stolen from gravesites. It really shook him up.

"Yeah, that's a good word for it, it shook me up. I didn't expect anything like this ever to happen," he said.

He figured they'd try to tell them for a quick buck. Sure enough, the very next day, he says a Woodland Recycling Center called the Yolo County Sheriff's Office reporting someone trying to sell familiar-looking bronze vases as scrap metal.

"The guy at recycling center says, I have family buried out there," he said. "So they got him red-handed."

Deputies say 22-year-old Kirsten Farnham and her boyfriend 26-year-old Jamie Stephens were arrested for grand theft.

Tippetts says the last names are common in the area, and believes the suspects likely have family members buried in the cemetery they allegedly stole from.

Argumedo says she'll be in the courtroom to watch them face a judge.

"Especially to walk up here to see that they have destroyed something that's very personal to you," he said.

The cemetery says more than half of the vases were recovered intact from the trunk of the suspect's cars, but many were destroyed. Those families will have to buy new ones.