Police: Man Posed As Mourner, Burglarized Car During Vets Funeral

CBS) ^ | July 19, 2012 10:26 PM

[BenLurkin]

GLENDORA {california} (CBS) — A man accused of breaking into a car at a cemetery while pretending to be a mourner was behind bars Thursday, according to police.

Glendora Police arrested Jose Angel Abrajan, 31, on suspicion of grand theft that allegedly occurred on June 18 at Oakdale Cemetery at 1401 S. Grand Avenue in Glendora.

Abrajan allegedly broke into a car while pretending to be a mourner at a funeral for a former U.S. Marine and Vietnam veteran. After the ceremony, the deceased man’s daughter realized her purse had been stolen from inside her SUV. Family members reviewed photos that were taken during the funeral and said the pictures showed Abrajan in the background breaking into the car.

“I think he’s soulless,” said Angela Earthman, who was burying her father, Aurelio Rodriguez. ” He took a lot that day from my family,” she said.

“To really do something like that you must think you can do anything and not have any consequences,” Earthman told CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Rob Schmitt.

Several hours after the crime, police say Abrajan was captured on surveillance video attempting to purchase food at a local In-N-Out using Earthman’s stolen credit card.

“It’s just an absolute despicable crime,” said Tim Staab, captain of the Glendora Police Department.

“I guess everywhere in America now we have to be so hyper vigilant about predators. That’s what this person is, an absolute predator.”

Glendora Police traced the suspect’s vehicle to a home in Chino and arrested him.

Police say they recovered a large amount of stolen property, including purses and cell phones at Abrajan’s residence.

Investigators say Abrajan is currently on probation for possession of stolen property.

Abrajan is currently being held at the Glendora Police jail on a $45,000 bail.

[Washi]

At my Grandmother's funeral back in February, some dirt-bag broke out the window of a cousin's car, in the church parking lot, and stole her purse.

The police said that they suspect that local criminals were reading the obituaries to find when and where funeral services were taking place.

$45,000 sounds too low for bail.

[martin_fierro]

Get a rope.

[goat granny]

One of the reasons NOT to put obits day of funeral in the paper...when my husband passed away, one of our neighbors (we had the farm at that time) stayed at the house. A couple of months earlier another neighbors house was broken into the day of the funeral and stole all the guns that guy had......