ROSENBERG, Texas — When Rosenberg police began getting multiple reports of bronze vases stolen from gravesites at a local cemetery, they took action.
A newly created team was assigned to track down the grave robber who'd been sneaking into the Davis-Greenlawn Cemetery at 3900 B.F. Terry Boulevard.
Officers on the Strategic Enforcement Team set up surveillance and it didn't take long before they made an arrest.
Police say 63-year-old Rolando Trevino was caught Thursday trying to leave the cemetery with 17 stolen vases.
The convicted sex offender from Brookshire also had a fake license plate, according to investigators.
Police say the suspect confessed to stealing several bronze vases over the last few weeks and selling them.
Rosenberg Police Chief Jonathan White said thefts of precious metals are on the rise.
"We normally see this in the catalytic convertor thefts, but Rolando Trevino has shown us a new low by stealing from the deceased," White said. "It is heartbreaking to read police reports where family members arrive to visit their loved one’s grave sites only to find they have been a victim of theft."
Trevino is charged with 17 counts of felony theft from a grave and driving with a fake license plate.
At last check, he was still behind bars in the Fort Bend County Jail.
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