Bodmin’s Glynn Valley Crematorium has been left struggling after burglars stole around £50,000 worth of gardening equipment in separate incidents during May and June. The 10-acre site has faced difficulties maintaining its grounds, leading to complaints from grieving families.
Business manager Karen Stewart said staff were forced to transport equipment to off-site storage. “They even took our trailer we had for carrying heavy materials, and we could see it leaving on our CCTV,” she said. “Through that one act of selfishness, this place that felt safe and secure maybe doesn’t so much.”
Items stolen included leaf blowers, hedge cutters, a lawn mower, a pressure washer, strimmers, and a cement mixer. The thefts have left staff feeling distraught and frustrated. “I kept saying to staff it’s not your own house and it’s not your furniture that’s gone,” Ms Stewart added. “They were like: ‘It hurts – you come in here, make all this effort to make it lovely and someone turns up and takes everything.’”
Devon and Cornwall Police have urged anyone with information or video footage from the area to come forward. The crematorium continues to manage the impact while working to maintain the site without on-site equipment.
