BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. – Thieves are targeting cemeteries in Bradford County, stealing holiday decorations from grave sites and robbing families of the only way they can celebrate with their loved ones who have died.
According to the Bradford County Sheriff's Office, Christmas decorations and memorabilia have been stolen from seven graves since Dec. 4. The thefts happened at Crosby Lake Cemetery, Connor Cemetery and Brown's Cemetery.
Families told News4Jax that the thefts have made them feel like they've lost their loved ones all over again, saying the thieves not only took decorations -- but the only way they can celebrate the holidays with their loved ones.
Visiting his son's grave at the Crosby Lake Cemetery in Starke is normally a calm and peaceful experience for Stefan Wheeler.
"That's how I feel like I'm with him," Stefan Wheeler said.
But now Stefan Wheeler and his wife, Kim, said they can't look at their son Connor's grave without feeling angry after someone vandalized his grave.
Connor's family had set up lighted Christmas trees around the grave. But when the family came out last week, the Christmas decorations were gone and his grave was in the dark.
"This is all you have left of them and you want to decorate it, and all you have is this -- and people rob you," Kim Wheeler said. "You feel like you just lost them again. It tears you up."
The Wheelers said their son died over a year ago in a tragic car accident when he was 20 years old.
"His daughter was only 3 months old and she lost her dad," Kim Wheeler said. "And someone comes out here and robs you of the things that you put on their grave to make you feel like you can celebrate Christmas with them."
Stefan Wheeler said he's hoping for the day he can come face to face with the person who stole from his only son's grave.
"From somebody to steal off of a grave, that's the lowest of lows," Stefan Wheeler said.
Betty Green said Christmas decorations were also stolen from her son's grave at the Crosby Lake Cemetery.
For the last 14 years, the Green family has brought balloons to Kevin's grave after he died in a motorcycle accident. But on his 40th birthday last week, Green said, they noticed the decorations had disappeared.
"By the time we pulled up, I saw the snowmen were gone. And it's not what they cost, it's what they meant to us. This is how we share our Christmas and memories with our baby," Green said. "You just learn to live with it, but it doesn’t get any easier, you still have that hole in your heart and when you come out here and see that people are messing with them, there’s nothing that they can do about it.”
Investigators said hundreds of dollars worth of Christmas decorations and memorabilia were stolen from the graves -- including from Penny Lee's husband and her only son's graves.
"The way that I deal with my grief is that I come out here to decorate," Lee said. "I hope they catch who did it and prosecute them to the fullest extent. And in my opinion, the cops better find them before we do.”
The families told News4Jax that deputies have been monitoring the graves since the thefts.
Deputies said no arrests have been made, but they are actively investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 904-966-6161.