Thieves have stolen items from a graveyard in a Leicestershire village.

Five thefts from graves have been reported to police in the past six months.

The thieves have stolen items including flowers and ornaments from different graves and police believe more there may be other incidents which they haven’t been told about.

The incidents are happening at the graveyard next to St James’ Church on Main Street in Newbold Verdon.

Pc Jon Shaw is the beat officer for the village. He said: “We’ve had a series of thefts reported to us and I am keen to stop it happening again. Because people don’t visit the graves everyday it is sometimes hard to establish exactly when things have been stolen and the church is in an isolated location so there aren’t any witnesses to the thefts so we have no way of knowing if it is one person or several people who are committing these crimes.”

Mrs Jean Harris, who lives in the village, had eight flower arrangements stolen from her son’s grave on the 14th anniversary of his death. Her son, Scott, died on January 10, 1998 while walking home from the funeral of one of five young men who died in a car crash on January 2, 1998. He was eighteen. Mrs Harris said; “My husband visited Scott’s grave to light a candle and was shocked to find the flowers had been stolen. He found the wrappings had been taken off the flowers and dumped at the edge of the cemetery but there as no sign of the flowers.

“It was awful to discover the flowers had been taken at such a poignant time for us and we have other relatives buried at the cemetery as well and items have been taken from their graves too. We are keen to help the police catch the people who are doing this.”

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101.