Dead Men Tell No Tales

A final resting place is hallowed ground to be approached with an air of solemnity and a reverence for the individual who is buried or interred. We use these memorials as a way to quietly reflect on the lives of our loved ones. For these reasons and more, the recent act of Richard Hall of Spokane Valley, WA is unthinkable and abhorrent to most.

Hall, aged 30, was recently arrested by local police for the destruction of property and theft of small valuables from inside an area mausoleum. Detectives were able to track Hall down thanks to the presence of his fingerprints in the defaced memorial as well as security surveillance video shot during the crime. 

Before being apprehended, Hall had managed to steal several hundred dollars worth of keepsakes that were left by family members of the deceased. Among the missing items were a wedding ring and two necklaces left by a widower in honor of his late wife. Detectives think Hall may have been involved in a similar break in at the Riverside Cemetery. Court documents list the value of the stolen items in both crimes at over $400.

Despite Hall attempting to mislead the arresting detectives by portraying himself as his own brother, his true identity was very easily determined. For his actions, Hall will have to answer to four felony charges.

It is unfortunate to think that the act of grave robbing is something few engage in as a crime of easy opportunity. This history of grave robbing is nothing new. Throughout history there have been those who sought to avail themselves of the riches of buried pharaohs, lords, and queens. Not only is the act one of supreme disrespect, but it also destroys important historical and archaeological world sites.

Security measures for mausoleums have been around almost as long as grave robbers have been. In the modern era, the construction of a private mausoleum is completed with an eye for providing a traditional place of peaceful reflection and offering the most modern, up-to-date security features available.

A private family mausoleum is constructed to the exact standards of the individual or family for whom it is built. Traditional styles are reflected in your final mausoleum design according to your tastes, and modern amenities are unobtrusively introduced for the convenience of site visitors.

It is indeed a sad reality that protections must be put in place to guard against the actions of sad opportunists like Richard Hall. Utilizing these security measures goes a long way to provide peace of mind to both you and those you leave behind.