MOTHER-OF-TWO Lydia Price is demanding a council stops a trial policy to leave cemetery gates unlocked overnight after thieves stole ornaments from her dead son's grave.
Mrs Price said she was shocked to discover beads and decorations at her son Vito's grave in Tunstall cemetery had been stolen in an overnight theft.
OPEN: The cemetery gates. Above, Lydia Price at the graveside. Pictures: Mark Scott
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is leaving gates open overnight at eight of its nine cemeteries until Saturday as a trial. They are usually closed shortly before sunset throughout the year to keep out thieves and vandals.
But the council said the cost of securing them, which is handled by a private company, has increased and is now costing too much.
Mrs Price's son Vito died of natural causes at the age of five on Christmas Eve in 2007.
His grave was targeted overnight between Thursday night and Friday morning.
The 34-year-old, who is also mother to Jason, aged 14, and Alisha, aged 12, said: "It is really upsetting, not just for me, but for my other children as well.
"I go to the grave every day, sometimes in the morning and at night. They have taken holy beads and also ornaments.
"It was fine when it was left on Thursday but by Friday the items had gone. Things are only going to get worse now that people know the cemeteries are being left open all the time."
Mrs Price, of Tunstall, added that it is not the first time graves have been targeted and that security must be improved.
Campaigner Peter Chadwick. chairman of Stoke-on-Trent Graves Action Group, said: "We are getting more complaints now the gates are unlocked.
"Clearly the trial is not working out. The cemeteries need to be locked at night. Some people just take pleasure in smashing things up."
Residents in Burslem have also raised concerns about cars cutting through the cemetery as a short cut because of gates being left open.
Only Carmountside cemetery is being locked overnight as several council environmental staff are based there.
Tony Oakman, director of adult and neighbourhood services at the council, said: "We understand that it is extremely distressing for the family to have items stolen from the grave of a loved one.
"So far we have not had any complaints of anti-social behaviour in our cemeteries since we introduced the trial scheme. We do need to know if people have experienced any problems so if any items have been stolen we would recommend they contact both us and police."
