Cops: Metal thieves steal gravesite vases

Kathy Peranzo visited her son's grave recently only to make a shocking discovery. The bronze vase where she leaves him flowers was gone.

In its place was a hole in the ground that allowed water and dirt to seep into the grave.

Philip Peranzo's resting place is one of nearly 160 graves at two Farmingdale area cemeteries that have been desecrated in recent weeks by metal thieves, Suffolk County police said.

"I felt so violated," said Peranzo, 57, of East Meadow, whose son is buried at St. Charles Cemetery.

"This is like stealing from the dead," she said. "If you're willing to do that, how low can you go?"

A police spokesman said nine vases have been reported stolen at St. Charles and another 150 at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum.

The thefts at both cemeteries were first reported Oct. 11, but police said they don't know for sure when the vases were taken.

First Squad detectives are investigating. No arrests have been made, police said.

The bronze and brass vases, which cost hundreds of dollars apiece, are attached to grave markers. Similar thefts have been reported at cemeteries around the country as metal thieves expand their reach.

Kathy Peranzo, a former Newsday transportation employee, said police may be understating the thefts. When she made her discovery Nov. 7, she said it appeared that dozens of graves at St. Charles had been hit.

She is incensed that the cemetery hasn't offered to replace the vases.

"I want them to replace them and have better security," said Peranzo, who has her own burial plot reserved at St. Charles. "They need to do something about it."

Her late son was an Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School teacher. He died of colon cancer in 2006 at age 32.

St. Charles is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. The diocese office was closed for the holiday Wednesday afternoon.

An administrator at Pinelawn Memorial Park declined to comment.