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OMAHA, Neb. — A Mormon pioneer cemetery has had several metal signs and decorations stolen over the past few weeks.
Thieves have removed bronze decorations and signs indicating the cemetery is the resting place of pioneers who were traveling west in the early days of the LDS church, said Kristyna Engdahl of KETV 7 Omaha.
“A sign, which was a really an artistic piece at the entrance of the cemetery, had a stylized angel that was sculpted by Avard Fairbanks,” said Elder Dean Cleverly, director of the Mormon Trail Center.
Cleverly said the items were taken on different nights. Now, they are locking the cemetery at night at keeping the lights on.
“They were working on another sign, you could tell, because a couple of the bolts that held the sign in place were missing,” Cleverly said. “We took that off ourselves and put it in storage.
Cleverly said officials assume the thieves were looking to sell the metal.
“In the case of the artistic piece, the historical value would be far more than what they can get for the metal,” Cleverly said.