Heartless thieves are stealing from the dead, a News & Star investigation can reveal.

Thieves have struck dozens of times in Cumbrian church yards and graveyards – with callous raiders even targeting people’s final resting places.

Flowers, ornaments, plaques and a soft toy are among the treasured items which have been taken from the graves of loved ones.

In one theft a bronze Madonna statue that was securely fastened to a headstone was forced from the graveside.

At one graveyard, thieves stooped so low as to steal a soft toy from a child’s grave, cutting the cable ties that were securing it.

In another incident, 120 cast-bronze plaques were stolen from a crematorium memorial wall – and five plaques were prised off benches.

Details from the files of Cumbria police reveal the thefts have happened at Carlisle Crematorium, cemeteries in Stanwix and Upperby, in Carlisle, and graveyards in Brigham, Cockermouth, Penrith, Kendal and Barrow.

A Freedom of Information request by the News & Star reveals there were also thefts from churchyards in Sedbergh, St Bees and Whitehaven.

In March 2013, thieves stole six bunches of flowers from a grave at Upperby Cemetery.

In total, there were 36 thefts from churchyards or cemeteries in the last five years in Cumbria.

The Reverend Canon Jim Hyslop, of St John the Baptist Church in Upperby, Carlisle, said: “Stealing from graves is terrible.

“Someone has put things on a grave in memory of someone and for them to be stolen is not good at all.”

Thieves targeted the grave of floods hero policeman Bill Barker at Egremont Cemetery in August last year.

PC Barker, from Egremont, died in the floods of November 2009 while directing traffic away from the crumbling Northside bridge in Workington.

Thieves stole a decorative plant pot that was set into his grave and it has never been returned.

Bill’s widow, Hazel Barker, said: “If you steal from a grave then you will steal from anywhere.

“It’s completely shocking that people would do this. They obviously don’t have any conscience.

“For the family who they have stolen from it can take weeks and weeks to recover.

“We are still feeling the effects of losing Bill.

“As an adult it’s difficult but for the little ones in the family it’s quite shocking.”

Mrs Barker called for extra measures to stop such thefts.

“Something has to be done,” she added. “I think CCTV should be put up in cemeteries – we pay enough in taxes.”

Mrs Barker said she is still unable to visit her husband’s grave. She added: “It took me a long time to summon up the courage to get a headstone but I did it for the children.”

Mrs Barker said she believed the thieves who targeted Bill’s gravestone “knew exactly” whose resting place they were stealing from.

She said the headstone features a picture of PC Barker and shows he gave his life on duty, adding that the theft of the decorative flower pot set into the grave was “despicable”.

Some of the incidents reported to police:

  • Thieves entered a cemetery and stole ornaments from graveside - July 2011
  • A 6ft marble paving was stolen from a grave at a cemetery - September 2011
  • A grave vase was stolen from the pedestal of a headstone in a cemetery - September 2011
  • Thieves stole items from a grave - September 2011
  • Memorial pot stolen from grave - March 2012
  • An animal figurine and 30 cancer badges were stolen from a grave and a wind chime damaged - May 2012
  • A thief stole a soft toy from a child’s grave - June 2012
  • Six bunches of flowers were stolen from a grave at Upperby Cemetery - March 2013
  • Thief stole a sign from a grave site - August 2013
  • A bouquet of silk flowers and stems of diamante were stolen from a cemetery - September 2013
  • A Madonna statue was stolen from a grave - October 2014
  • Thieves removed 120 cast bronze plaques from a crematorium memorial wall and five plaques from benches - October 2014
  • Thieves stole items from the graveside of a woman’s husband - November 2015
  • Two bunches of flowers were stolen from vases on a grave - December 2015

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It came to light when Mrs Barker’s sister went to place some flowers at the grave.

Mrs Barker said: “I got a phone call from my sister. She regularly pops over and puts flowers on the grave.”

In Carlisle, the city council said officials knew the distress caused by such crimes.

A spokesman said: “Our deepest sympathies are with all the families who have been affected by vandalism or thefts from graves.

“Although it is an uncommon occurrence, we appreciate the distress it can cause.”

The cemetery and crematorium grounds cover more than 60 acres – much of it wooded.

The spokesman added: “CCTV would not be an effective deterrent.”