Mum 'broke down' after headstone stolen from parents' graves

After losing her mother in November, Katie Launchbury spent “an absolute fortune” to get a plaque, headstone and decorations made for her mum and dad’s graves.

Katie and her family even made a wooden frame for her mum’s resting place at Hollybrook Cemetery by hand, only completing the project four weeks ago.

But last week, Katie went to visit her mum and dad and saw that the grave had been picked clean, with the plaque, headstone and decorations all stolen.

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“I completely broke down at the grave side with my children with me,” she told the Echo.

“I like to go there every week to clear my head, on my own most of the time, but that day it was a nice day and I had my kids with me because we were going to park.

 “They’ve taken everything.”

Katie shared before and after images of her mum's grave. (Image: Katie Launchbury) Katie said anything of sentimental value – including a headstone, a cross, ornaments, photos and flowers – had been stolen from the graves.

She is appealing for any evidence that might help police in their investigation.

She said: “Everything is still very raw.

“It just wasn’t what I was expecting when I turned up there. It makes me feel like I can’t put anything nice on there now.

“I feel like I don’t want to be spending out a lot of money again to put nice stuff back on for it to just happen again.”

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Katie said her sister called the police, but the 36-year-old thinks that while officers are treating the incident as a theft, they will not “really be able to do anything” because of a lack of evidence.

She therefore rooted through full bins with her husband to try and find some of the stolen memorabilia.

Katie shared before and after images of her dad's grave. (Image: Katie Launchbury) “The bins were completely full up,” Katie said.

“We went through every single thing in the bin and none of it was there.”

'Her hands were tied'

Katie did notice that there was a headstone in front of her mum’s that said ‘you’re being watched’, so she thinks there may be CCTV.

But she said she has “no idea” how to go about getting in touch with the person who controls the cameras.

Katie also spoke to staff at the cemetery who said she would work with the groundsman to keep an eye out, but ultimately noted that “her hands were tied” with how she could help.

“I just don’t know how anyone can go so low to mess with people who have gone.

“It’s their resting place for people to visit and grieve and it’s been destroyed. I feel like I can’t go there now without being anxious.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We were called on Saturday (22 March) to a report that items had been stolen from a graveside at Hollybrook Cemetery.

"This incident is under investigation and enquiries are underway."