MESA, Ariz. — An East Valley cemetery is an offering a reward for information on a bronze statue recently stolen from the property.
On the morning of Sept. 17, the $20,000 statue of a woman buried at Mesa's Mountain View Funeral Home was forcibly removed and the cemetery is hoping to recover the beloved sculpture.
"The theft of this statue is a devastating blow to the family, our team, and the community we serve," Greg Coury, owner of Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, said in a statement. "This wasn’t just a statue; it was a $20,000, one-of-a-kind tribute that held tremendous sentimental value. We are asking for its return, no questions asked."
The statue was ripped from its granite base where it was held with brackets and steel pins.
Mesa police said officers received a separate report back on July 20 at the cemetery after 36 bronze vases were taken from the property.
Cemetery officials have contacted over 50 recyclers across the Valley and none have reported receiving the statue.
The cemetery, located near Main Street and Sossaman Road, has begun to implement more security measures. Anyone with information about the theft is urged to come forward by calling the cemetery at 480-832-2850.
Mesa police said both theft reports involving the cemetery have been closed due to a lack of evidence.
UP TO SPEED
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
