Three individuals have been formally charged in Berlin for orchestrating a systematic theft operation targeting bronze statues from cemetery gravesites across multiple German states. The criminal enterprise, which operated for several years, resulted in stolen goods valued at a minimum of 411,000 euros (approximately $447,000).
According to the Berlin prosecutor's office, the theft ring operated with a sophisticated organizational structure beginning at least as early as 2018. The operation was led by a 67-year-old man who coordinated the thefts, working alongside a 62-year-old woman who conducted surveillance and scouted potential target locations. The duo collaborated with unknown accomplices to carry out their crimes primarily in Berlin, but also extended their activities to Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Investigators have revealed a clear division of labor within the criminal organization. While the elderly man masterminded the operations and the woman performed reconnaissance work at cemeteries, a third defendant, a 56-year-old man, served as the fence for the stolen bronze statues. This individual has been charged with receiving stolen goods and facilitating the resale of the pilfered cemetery monuments.
The prosecutor's office has filed charges encompassing a total of 74 separate criminal acts against the trio. The systematic nature of their crimes suggests a well-planned operation that targeted valuable bronze memorial statues and sculptures from gravesites over an extended period.
The breakthrough in the case came through a citizen tip that led police to uncover the criminal network. A man contacted authorities after being approached by someone attempting to sell him a stolen bronze statue, which ultimately provided investigators with the crucial lead needed to unravel the entire operation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
