Greenville man accused of stealing, destroying flower vases, veterans markers from gravestones

A Greenville man is charged after police say he stole or destroyed several flower vases and veterans markers placed at gravestones in the Shenango Valley Cemetery.

According to a criminal complaint, the alleged crimes were reported in November of 2024 when an employee at the Shenango Valley Cemetery told police a visitor told him that a bronze flower vase was missing from their loved one's gravestone.

It was soon discovered that a total of 54 vases were missing from the cemetery with each one valued at around $300. 

From there, police went to the Greenville Recycling Center and showed employees a picture of the vases. Police say an employee recognized them and showed officers a barrel full of bronze materials that had been scrapped within the past few weeks.

Police say inside the barrel were pieces of those bronze vases that appeared to have been cut with a grinder, as well as pieces of bronze veterans markers that were brought in by the same person.

The employee told police that person came in on November 14.

According to the complaint, surveillance video from the recycling center on that shows a man identified as 36-year-old Cody Brown pulling up to the recycling center carrying a bucket of that bronze material.

Later in January, police say Brown came back to the recycling center multiple times in one day with more bronze vases.

Police say when he noticed the vases he brought the first time were still sitting next to the scale, which is irregular in the scrapping business, he ran back to his vehicle yelling "I don't have anything" before driving away.

According to a post on the Greenville Police Department's Facebook page, Brown was charged with receiving stolen property, desecration, theft or sale of venerated objects, criminal mischief and several traffic offenses. He was arrested Friday, March 7.

Court records show he is due back in court March 26.