Thieves prey during funeral services

After the death of a loved one, family and friends traditionally come together to mourn their loss. During this time of sadness the last thing families think about is being robbed, yet the timing for thieves is perfect.The last year-and-a-half has seen a rash of robberies occur in southern Michigan while families are occupied at funeral homes or during funerals. In March, the thief or thieves moved into Lenawee County.Crimestoppers of Lenawee County asked the public for help with a breaking and entering of two houses in Palmyra Township on March 26, which occurred during the funeral of a family member. On June 8, a Britton family was also victim of a breaking and entering during the funeral of their family member.The break-ins are not obvious at first. The items taken are jewelry, cash and possibly medication.“It’s not the typical kind of break in. They don’t ransack the house,” said Detective Gary Ward, of the Lenawee County Sheriff Department. “They try to make it look like nobody has ever been there.”The Britton family was alerted to theft by the different position of the locking mechanism on a jewelry box. This small detail made the family look closer for missing items.“Without the husband noticing the locking mechanism, it might have been days before they realized their home was broken into,” Ward said.The subtle nature of the crime may also be keeping the true number low of those affected. “There could be a whole lot more break-ins, and people don’t even realize it,” said Ward.There have been similar break-ins in Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne and Hillsdale Counties. Hillsdale had a break-in during a funeral in March at the same time as the family in Blissfield.Law enforcement believes all the break-ins are perpetrated by one or two people. “We don’t know who’s doing it, but we do have a person of interest,” said Ward.The reason for the break-ins is not known. Money is the obvious motivator, but whether the money stolen is being used for drugs, is unclear.“It’s somebody who’s taking items to obtain money because they don’t work,” Ward said.In the past, police could trace stolen items through local pawnshops, but in the age of the Internet, thieves are not using pawnshops to get rid of stolen goods.“We’re finding people aren’t taking things to pawnshops anymore, they are selling them on eBay and Craigslist,” said Ward.The Internet is not just where thieves sell what they take from homes. The crimes begin with thieves likely getting information about visitation and funerals from online obituaries or funeral home websites.“We highly suggest anybody who is going to attend a funeral have a responsible person stay with the house,” Ward said.The person staying with the home needs to be alert to anyone approaching the house looking for a person or information while the family is at the funeral. Law enforcement officers need a clear and specific description of the suspicious person as well as their vehicle.Anyone with information on these break-ins is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 517.266.6161 or 877.276.8477, via text at 274637 beginning with “LENAWEE,” or online at www.tipsubmit.com.

Tecumseh Herald

 

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