BEAUMONT, Texas — Orange Police are investigating the theft of several mausoleum doors from a cemetery in the city in the last two weeks.
A total of six doors were stolen off of three mausoleums at Evergreen Cemetery on Jackson St in Orange according to Darryl Sparks, who manages the cemetery.
The first two pairs of doors were discovered missing from the Brown and Slade family mausoleums on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Sparks told 12News on Tuesday.
"I noticed that the doors were missing and I own the mausoleum and I called Darryl Sparks, and let him know to alert him that it looked like they had been sawed off," said Cemetery Worker Joe Baltazar.
A third pair of doors were stolen from a Lutcher family mausoleum sometime between Thursday afternoon or overnight on February, 8, 2024 he said.
The six doors were made of decorative bronze and featured inlaid stained glass window.
The windows themselves were found broken and left behind at the cemetery according to Sergeant Isaac Henry of the Orange Police Department.
"It's disturbing, not only for our family but every family that has history in their cemetery here," said Corey Stark.
Doors like these are often sold as antiques according to Sparks, who is asking that any Southeast Texas pawn shops or antique dealers be on the look out for them and call the cemetery or police if they spot them.
"I have seen it happen over the years, people stealing other things but never mausoleum doors,' Stark said.
He also worries that someone may have just stolen them to sell them for a small amount as scrap.
"Somebody did it to get a little bit of money, some fast money. They knew a place they could sell something and sold it for $20 or something," said Sparks.
OPD is the lead investigator on this case. Right now all the families can do it hope it won't happen again.
"They are irreplaceable, and they were worth what someone was willing to pay for them... but they belong where they were put in the first place," Stark said.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
GET NEWS & WEATHER ALERTS | Download the 12News App to your mobile device
CRIME STOPPERS | Submit a tip @ 833Tips.com
CRIME STOPPERS APP | Download the P3 Tips App
If you have information about a crime you could earn a cash reward of up to $1000 by providing an ANONYMOUS tip to Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas.
Call 833-TIPS (8477) or download the P3Tips App on your mobile device to submit your tip anonymously.