The Catalan Mossos police are investigating the desecration of more than a hundred graves in the Montjuïc cemetery in Barcelona. The investigation has been underway since July 3rd, after the management of the huge cemetery made a complaint about concrete slabs having been moved unusually in some of the oldest tombs. During the last few weeks, the Mossos d'Esquadra have increased patrols in the area, but at the moment no arrests have been made, and no new openings of the so-called "niches" in this mostly-vertical cemetery have been detected.
Jewels and gold objects have disappeared from the graves
The looting began in the middle of last June. Cemetery workers at first thought that the vertical concrete slabs closing the ends of some of the grave niches were moving due to deterioration of the material, since many of the affected graves date from the 1960s and 70s. However, as the days went by, they detected further movements, and as suspicions grew, they alerted the Mossos d'Esquadra to what was happening.
The investigators, after checking the condition of the graves, were able to verify that all of them, a total of 162, were missing jewels and valuables with which the deceased had been buried. Those responsible for the Montjuïc cemetery have contacted the owners of the burial places, although this is a complicated task due to the age of the graves.
Surveillance operation
The Mossos d'Esquadra, in order to locate and arrest the grave robbers, have been running an extensive operation during the last few weeks in the enormous city cemetery, including the use of nocturnal drones using infra-red detection, and several officers patrolling the area day and night. As well, the company Cementiris de Barcelona has strengthened its own security systems, and Barcelona's Guardia Urbana police are also working alongside the patrols. Despite the efforts of the investigators, they have not been able to make any arrests so far.