DSP News Release: Detectives Identify Man Wanted in Cemetery Thefts

Location: Gracelawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 2220 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE

Date of Occurrence:  Between Saturday, January 15, 2011 and Saturday, January 22, 2011

Suspect: William P. Johnson, 44, Chester, PA  

Charges:

-Theft (Felony)

-Conspiracy 2^nd Degree

Resume:  

New Castle- Delaware State Police detectives have identified a male suspect in connection with the theft of approximately 120 bronze flower vases stolen from the Gracelawn Memorial Park Cemetery in January of 2011.

On January 24, 2011 an employee of the Gracelawn Cemetery, located in the 2200 block of N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, contacted police after it was discovered that someone had removed 120 bronze vases valued at approximately $14,000 from numerous gravesites in the park. Detectives were subsequently contacted by a witness who advised that they had observed a male subject removing several vases from gravesites on Saturday, January 22. The suspect, however, dropped the vases after he saw that he was being watched and was last seen getting into the passenger seat of a burgundy minivan with a Pennsylvania registration, which then fled from the cemetery.

On Monday, February 28, officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were sent to the complaint of a suspicious person sleeping in a burgundy van behind a scrap yard located in the 2000 block of E. Silver Street in Philadelphia. As the responding officers approached the van, they observed several bronze cemetery vases in the rear of the van. Upon questioning, the subject in the van, later identified as William P. Johnson, provided the officers with a fictitious name. He was then taken into custody and later committed to the Delaware County Prison on unrelated theft charges. State Police detectives were then notified of Johnson’s arrest at which time he was positively identified as the subject who had committed the thefts from the Gracelawn Cemetery. Detectives then obtained warrants on Johnson charging him with one count of felony theft and one count of second degree conspiracy. The warrants are currently on file pending his extradition from Pennsylvania. The identity of the driver of the burgundy minivan is unknown at this time and the investigation is continuing.

DSP News Release: Detectives Identify Man Wanted in Cemetery Thefts

Location: Gracelawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 2220 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE

Date of Occurrence:  Between Saturday, January 15, 2011 and Saturday, January 22, 2011

Suspect: William P. Johnson, 44, Chester, PA  

Charges:

-Theft (Felony)

-Conspiracy 2^nd Degree

Resume:  

New Castle- Delaware State Police detectives have identified a male suspect in connection with the theft of approximately 120 bronze flower vases stolen from the Gracelawn Memorial Park Cemetery in January of 2011.

On January 24, 2011 an employee of the Gracelawn Cemetery, located in the 2200 block of N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, contacted police after it was discovered that someone had removed 120 bronze vases valued at approximately $14,000 from numerous gravesites in the park. Detectives were subsequently contacted by a witness who advised that they had observed a male subject removing several vases from gravesites on Saturday, January 22. The suspect, however, dropped the vases after he saw that he was being watched and was last seen getting into the passenger seat of a burgundy minivan with a Pennsylvania registration, which then fled from the cemetery.

On Monday, February 28, officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were sent to the complaint of a suspicious person sleeping in a burgundy van behind a scrap yard located in the 2000 block of E. Silver Street in Philadelphia. As the responding officers approached the van, they observed several bronze cemetery vases in the rear of the van. Upon questioning, the subject in the van, later identified as William P. Johnson, provided the officers with a fictitious name. He was then taken into custody and later committed to the Delaware County Prison on unrelated theft charges. State Police detectives were then notified of Johnson’s arrest at which time he was positively identified as the subject who had committed the thefts from the Gracelawn Cemetery. Detectives then obtained warrants on Johnson charging him with one count of felony theft and one count of second degree conspiracy. The warrants are currently on file pending his extradition from Pennsylvania. The identity of the driver of the burgundy minivan is unknown at this time and the investigation is continuing.

         William P. Johnson

To offer information regarding this investigation, please contact the Delaware State Police at 302-834-2630. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES).  Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Released Friday, April 08, 2011 at 3:30 p.m.