Families speak out after man confesses to stealing expensive vases from gravesites

ROSENBERG, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is behind bars after confessing he stole bronze vases from headstones at a Rosenberg cemetery to sell them for their metal.

Rolando Trevino was arrested and charged this week with 17 counts of theft from a grave. Police caught him in the act after viewing surveillance footage from Davis-Greenlawn cemetery.

Families say they're upset someone would stoop that low and steal from the dead and grieving families.

"It's kind of disgusting to know that someone came out and stole those," said Cindy Harlage.

Cindy and her daughter Abby were at the cemetery on Saturday afternoon. As they walked through they observed how many graves had missing bronze vases from their headstones.

"We have family members buried closer to the front of the cemetery and a couple of them have had their vases stolen," said Hartlage.

She says three of their family members fell victim to this. She says all three of their graves are towards the front of the cemetery.

"You can see how many flowers are in the ground or in the hole and there's no vase holder," said Abby Kettler.

They tell ABC13 they're unsure what they'll do since the vases could go for $1,500.

"Well, we probably won't replace them because who knows if someone is going to come out here and take them again. It's a lot of money," said Hartlage. "You pay for it. And if it's gone, it's gone."

They say for now they plan to put the flowers in the hole where the vase once was.

ABC13 tried to speak to cemetery management on Saturday afternoon about possible solutions for families going forward, but no one answered the door.

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