Between the 26th and 27th of July, about 21 bronze statuettes of Christ or the Virgin Mary were torn off and stolen from the Saint-François de Thionville communal cemetery (Moselle). Official said this was "a targeted, premeditated and large-scale operation."
According to reports, the thieves likely entered the cemetery at night and methodically unsoldered the statuettes without damaging the tombstones. These highly targeted thefts go beyond the financial loss for families, which amounts to thousands of euros. The moral damage is "incalculable," said the municipal officer responsible for cemeteries. “There are (too) often petty thefts in cemeteries, but this is a premeditated large-scale operation, targeting a relatively precious material. The City must and will file a complaint.”
Source: Republicain-Lorrain, L'Observatoire (photo)