Hard-hearted criminals are wreaking havoc across western Sydney, robbing local graves, stripping them of valuable bronze and copper vases, and vandalising others

Fairfax Media can confirm ghoulish robbers have taken vases, some holding flowers, from cemeteries in Rouse Hill and in Minchinbury. Vandals have struck in Lidcombe.

‘‘We’ve increased patrolling and our crime prevention officer is meeting with [Castlebrook Memorial Park] to discuss their security measures,’’ Quakers Hill local area command’s duty officer said this morning.

His comment follows the theft of more than 100 ornamental vases from the cemetery in Rouse Hill including $55,000 of bronze vases, worth $550 each, taken from individual grave sites in the Calvary IV and Calvary V memorial areas on November 19, and copper and bronze items subsequently taken from memorial sites between November 22 and 24.

Like others around him, he wondered why the vases were stolen.

Bronze is an alloy made of 88 per cent copper and 12 per cent tin.

‘‘Our inquiries suggest it’s not worth a lot of money, so we don’t know what they would want them for,’’ he said.

Sadly, Pinegrove Memorial Park at Minchinbury has also had more than 100 bronze vases stolen over the past few months.

‘‘The young guy who is buried next to my dad, his vase is missing, along with quite a few others,’’ Angel Lea Brown posted on Facebook last week, prompting Fairfax Media to ask the question.

Castlebrook’s communications manager, Karl Wolfenden, said: ‘‘Castlebrook Memorial Park is assisting police with their enquiries, we have upgraded the security on the site with enhancements to gates and other boundaries having been made — and we are offering a reward of $5000 for information that leads to an arrest.

‘‘We have also alerted scrap metal merchants across Sydney.’’

But the Waste Management Association of Australia believes more can be done and is calling on state governments around the country to ban the practice of allowing scrap metal recyclers to pay cash for the scrap metal they receive.

“The problem with allowing cash payments for scrap metal is that the practice does not produce a paper trail, therefore records of how the metal has been obtained do not exist,’’ the association’s chief executive, Martin Tolar, said.

‘‘This provides the perfect opportunity for individuals involved in both petty and organised crime to generate significant income by stealing items with a high metal content.

“The lack of record keeping usually also means that these scrap dealers avoid paying tax, do not pay their employees award wages and have poor OHS practices.”

WMAA is seeking the introduction of legislation in Australia, similar to the UK Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, which prevents the payment of cash for scrap metal and would require all scrap dealers to deposit funds directly into a bank account or pay via cheque after verifying the seller’s identity and address.

“We believe this approach would not only produce a level playing field for all market participants, but would also see a significant reduction in crimes involving the theft of items that have a high metal content,’’ Mr Tolar said.

Police are meantime also appealing for witnesses after more than 50 graves, including flowers and lights, were damaged at Lidcombe’s Rookwood Cemetery — one of the oldest, largest and most multicultural cemeteries in Australia.

‘‘We’re not making any connections to any other locations,’’ Flemington local area command's acting crime manager Detective Sergeant Adam Scanlon said, before adding that he wasn’t aware of any vases having gone missing from the cemetery.

Police were called to Hawthorne Avenue about 2am last Friday, responding to reports graves had been damaged.

Two men, aged 23 and 25, were subsequently stopped and spoken to as they were leaving the cemetery. Officers searched their vehicle and seized packets of substances believed to be illicit drugs, which have been sent for analysis.

The men were taken to Auburn Police Station but have since been released pending further inquiries.

Contrary to some reports, including from Bec-marc Wheeler who said crosses and vases had been broken there, Riverstone Cemetery has not been affected.

‘‘We have not been notified of any reports of damage, or incidents of vandalism,’’ said a spokeswoman for Blacktown Council which has operated the cemetery, on the corner of Cemetery Road and Garfield Road West, since the mid 1960s.

‘‘Council encourages anyone who visits the cemetery to contact us of any incidents of vandalism on 9839 6000.’’

As the steady flow of Facebook comments suggest, these graveside robbers are taking more than just vases; for it’s not about the money for those grieving or left behind, it’s about their emotional loss and their peace of mind.

‘‘[It's] very disturbing to know there are creeps like this hanging around such a sacred place,’’ Michelle McEvoy Nicks posted.

Said Mr Wolfenden: ‘‘Cemeteries are public places but, more than this, they are places where people are able to express sadness and other strong emotions over a missing loved one.

‘‘Castlebrook will replace the stolen vases. However, to discourage this from occurring again, we will not be replacing them with items made of bronze, and we are working with affected families to inform them and to provide them with options.

‘‘We invite any memorial-holder with concerns about their loved one’s grave site, or cremation memorial, to contact our office on 9629 1477.

‘‘Plastic vases will be available for families to place flowers during their visits over the Christmas period and we are in discussions with our suppliers, to determine a suitable replacement which will be provided to affected families, free of charge.’’

Investigators are appealing for anyone who witnessed or has information about these thefts or vandalism incidents to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

WHAT YOU SAID ON FACEBOOK

■ Jen Hewitt: This happened a few years ago also, so that’s twice for my beloved grandmother now.

■ Drew Lindsay: Our loved ones (or us) pay a small fortune to the Castlebrook owners for a tiny piece of ground and the memorial. The least Castlebrook could do is offer some protection for the memorials after dark.

■ Jo Jo: There should be surveillance cameras at every cemetery. This is happening way too much!

■ Michelle Anne Symons: They should let the families of the graves that were robbed deal with them.

■ Frances Delia: They need to secure the perimeter of the park. The gate on Schofield Road is always open.

■ Manu Mehau-Ngaronoa: Disgusting! You either have to be very, very desperate — or complete scum!

■ Arthur Leith Warner: They might be melting down metal for something.

■ Dawn Lewis: Heartless creeps! Install cameras.

Click here to join the conversation.