A Prince George’s County family says it was victimized during the worst possible time in their lives: Several cars were broken into during a funeral service at a cemetery in Suitland last week.
Funeral services were held at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Suitland Thursday for Harold Graves Sr., a U.S. Army veteran.
While friends and family were grieving at a mausoleum on cemetery grounds, someone was breaking into their cars.
“And next thing everybody was like, ‘Somebody broke into my car, somebody broke into my car,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh my god,’” said the widow, Lorraine Graves. “It was just devastating.”
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The family’s angry it wasn’t warned, saying this has happened before.
“It’s like they didn’t care,” daughter Lawann Ellerbee said. “They’re just like, ‘Oh, well, this is just something that happens,’ and, ‘This is the third time,’ but you’re not taking precautions to watch out for people?”
Prince George’s County police confirmed there were seven car break-ins reported that afternoon at Cedar Hill. The cars were in the funeral home parking lot.
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Japera Williams said her window was smashed and her purse and laptop snatched.
“For them to choose this day or choose a funeral to be the day or people targeting people that’s mourning, I think that’s really sad,” she said.
The thieves got away with purses, keys, camera equipment and sympathy cards with donations meant for Lorraine Graves.
Family members say they were told by a Cedar Hill representative that the cemetery is not responsible for stolen valuables.
“Even the people that were directing visitors to their parking spaces could’ve at least said, ‘Make sure you take your valuables out of your car because we’re having some incidents of people breaking into cars,’” Ellerbee said. “You didn’t warn us, prewarn us, about anything.”
News4 found a camera on the funeral home building within view of the parking lot, but relatives said they were told it doesn’t work. Police confirmed there is no video of the crimes.
Police tell News4 there have been similar crimes in the area and they’ve stepped up daytime patrols. They’re offering up to $2,500 in reward money for help in solving the crimes.
Cedar Hill said it is “consistently working with local law enforcement to help with the crime in the area.”
