An Atlanta couple is accused of pulling off a graveyard heist that police say stripped Crest Lawn Memorial Park of dozens of memorial pieces worth about $130,000. Investigators allege Emanuel Pena, 43, and Allison Pena, 39, stole bronze vases, bronze plaques and granite slabs last August. Both were arrested, booked into the Fulton County Jail, and later released.
What police say investigators found
According to WSB‑TV, Atlanta police say the thefts happened between Aug. 4 and Aug. 12 of last year and involved several bronze vases, bronze plaques and granite slabs that added up to roughly $130,000. While serving a search warrant, officers reported recovering 10 large grave markers, five vases and a small plaque. Body camera footage shows officers at Crest Lawn looking at empty holes where markers had been removed, then later finding marked memorial pieces inside a vehicle. Police also say they seized grinding wheels that appeared to have been used to strip identifying engravings from the metal.
Why memorials are targeted
Cemeteries and memorial companies are frequent targets because metal grave markers can be flipped for scrap, a grim form of recycling that has popped up across Georgia and the broader region. In a widely reported 2019 case, FOX 5 Atlanta documented thieves allegedly stealing dozens of bronze plaques and selling them to a recycler to be melted down. Community advocates note that replacing engraved markers is not only expensive but emotionally painful for families, which adds another layer of damage on top of the financial loss.
Charges and what they could mean
The Penases were charged with theft by taking, the Georgia statute that covers unlawfully taking another person’s property as defined in Justia as O.C.G.A. §16‑8‑2. Georgia’s sentencing rules for theft offenses, including a specific provision for memorials and grave markers, are detailed in Justia under O.C.G.A. §16‑8‑12. That section sets a three to five year range for theft of a grave marker valued at more than $1,000 and allows for tougher penalties when the total loss is very high. How prosecutors choose to structure the charges and calculate the total value will determine whether the case is pursued as a felony and what kind of sentence they seek.
Next steps for families and tips
Families who discover that a memorial or marker is missing are urged to contact the Atlanta Police Department and the cemetery, and to hold onto any purchase or installation records that could help prove ownership. The city’s Atlanta Police Department website lists contact information and non‑emergency phone numbers. Investigators are also asking anyone with information about the recovered items or other suspicious activity around gravesites to reach out to authorities.
