(Council Bluffs) The Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) has uncovered a large-scale theft ring involving hundreds of stolen memorial vases from cemeteries in Omaha and Council Bluffs.
In late July 2025, the Council Bluffs Police Department’s (CBPD) Criminal Investigation Division (CID) began an investigation into the theft of memorial vases from local cemeteries after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen. The citizen observed a vehicle containing multiple memorial vases traveling near a scrap metal recycler. The citizen believed this was suspicious and contacted a friend who is a local funeral home director. The director confirmed the suspicious behavior and contacted the police department.
During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that two former contract employees at Westlawn-Hillcrest Cemetery, 5701 Center Street, Omaha, NE, allegedly began stealing memorial vases from the cemetery and selling them as scrap metal. Investigators believe the thefts began in late June or early July 2025. The investigation revealed that those former employees allegedly conspired with others to steal and scrap the vases…