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Alleged Port Coquitlam cemetery thief pilfering loved ones' flowers

Thieves have been allegedly stealing flowers out of urns at the Port Coquitlam Cemetery, upsetting a grieving grandmother who has lost six bouquets of silk flowers in the past year.
Diane Strandberg

Thieves have been allegedly stealing silk flowers from gravestones at a Port Coquitlam cemetery, leaving an 80-year-old grandmother heartbroken.

“It’s so very hurtful, why would someone do something like that?” questioned Jacquelin Gioia in an interview with the Tri-City News.

Six times in the last 12 months, Gioia has had to replace the bouquets at the gravestones of her mother, who died in 2000 and her daughter, who died in 2002. The most recent theft was just after Mother’s Day. Gioia said it was a devastating blow, having only just left the bouquets for her loved ones five days before.

“Actually, this is the first time it made me cry more out of anger. I’ve been going a long time and I enjoy going, but this time it was hurtful.”

Jacquelin Gioia visits her mother's grave. The last time a thief allegedly stole flowers from the gr
Jacquelin Gioia visits her mother's grave. The last time a thief allegedly stole flowers from the grave site was following Mother's Day. Gioia says her late daughter's grave has also fallen victim to a flower thief. - Diane Strandberg

Gioia knows it isn’t the cemetery caretakers who are stealing the silk flower bouquets because she watches them carefully when they mow the lawn. She wonders if it’s one thief or six making off with the silk blooms.

“They were really pretty, delicate flowers,” Gioia told the Tri-City News.

The long-time Port Coquitlam resident visits six or seven times a year for holidays and anniversaries.

“It’s a beautiful place,” she said, commenting on how peaceful and restful her visits used to be before people started stealing the bouquets.

Since 2015, the city of Port Coquitlam has permitted flowers to be placed at grave sites on special
Since 2015, the city of Port Coquitlam has permitted flowers to be placed at grave sites on special days. - Diane Strandberg

Located at the top of Oxford Hill, the cemetery is where Terry Fox is also buried and in 2015, the city permitted flowers to be placed at grave sites on special days.

Now those visits are stressful because Gioia worries if her flowers have been stolen or not.

“I want someone made aware that we are noticing,” she said.

Meanwhile, the city says it is "disheartened" to hear reports about propery going missing and urges the public to reort such incidents to the city directly at parks@portcoquitlam.ca or by calling 604-927-5496.

In a statement, the city said it has a dedicated staff responsible for regularly maintaining and monitoring the cemetery, as well as a security service that locks up the cemetery each night.

"We will be reviewing other ways to increase security at the cemetery, and will post information reminding people to use the cemetery respectfully and not removing any property that does not belong to them," the city further stated.