Casket.
Credit: CSN
Police in Bridgewater are investigating a despicable crime in which a person stole a necklace from a dead woman in her casket just two hours before her funeral service was being held.
Officers responded to the Prophett-Chapman Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Bridgewater on Jan. 28, police said.
The funeral director told officers that a man came into the home at about 8 a.m. – two hours before her funeral service was to be held – and identified himself as a relative of the 98-year-old woman. He asked the funeral director if he could see the woman and the director left him alone to “say a prayer,” police said.
After the man left, the funeral director noticed that a piece of jewelry was missing from the woman.
The jewelry was an 18-inch gold rope chain with a heart pendant on it. The pendant was the woman’s wedding band given to her by her late husband, police said. She had it formed into the shape of a heart and wore it as a necklace.
“I’ve never investigated a crime where somebody was stealing from a deceased party,” Lt. Thomas Schlatz said during a telephone interview today. “To steal a piece of jewelry at a funeral home from a person in a casket is about as low as you get.”
Police said they have a suspect, but that as of this morning no charges have been filed.
Michael Naughton
