Flower pots stolen from Spokane area cemetery

By Ofc. Jennifer DeRuwe

On June 7, 2010, at 10:00am, Spokane Police Neighborhood Resource Officer Traci Douglas responded to a stolen property call at Buckeye and Stevens. Ofc. Douglas understood there to be a complaint that a large amount of potted flower bowls had been stolen from Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N. Division. It appeared as though those stolen flower pots were being sold on the corner of Buckeye and Stevens for $5.00 each.

Holy Cross Cemetery flower pot. Photo by Ofc. Jennifer DeRuwe

When Ofc. Douglas contacted the homeowner; she was told that a relative had given them the flower pots to sell. The homeowner indicated that she was not aware that she was selling stolen merchandise. A representative from the cemetery arrived and took possession of over 60 of the flower pots.

Holy Cross had sold between 700 and 800 flower pots to family members to place on the gravesites of their loved ones. The flowers were placed on those grave sites over Memorial Day weekend. Sometime over the course of two days, June 5-6, all flower pots had been removed from the cemetery.

Many citizens in our community have purchased the above flower pots and have inquired as to what to do with the pots they have purchased. Holy Cross Cemetery encourages citizens to return the pots to their cemetery; if they so wish.

If anyone sees the pots being sold in other locations throughout the city, they are urged to call Crime Check at 509-456-2233 and report it.

No arrests have been made; the investigation is continuing.

UPDATE! Charges filed…

After a two day investigation, Officer Traci Douglas determined that Robert P. Sullivan (4/2/65) stole over 150 flower pots from the Holy Cross Cemetery and sold them in his yard for profit.

Ofc. Douglas did an outstanding job of responding to the initial theft call and continuing an investigation that was very alarming to our community. Ofc. Douglas said Sullivan was cooperative, and he was not booked into jail. Sullivan will have to face charges of 2nd degree Theft (flowers pots valued at over $3750.00) and 1st degree Trafficking in Stolen Property.

Flowers were grown from seed and then planted in pots for family members to purchase for $25. Those pots were placed on grave sites throughout Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N. Wall. Sometime between June 4, 2010 and June 6, 2010, Sullivan removed over 150 of those pots without permission. He then sold those pots for $5 a piece in his yard, at Buckeye and Stevens.

Holy Cemetery requests citizens that purchased those flower pots from Sullivan to return them to the Cemetery.

Detectives sent a charging request to prosecutors this afternoon, requesting the Theft charges against Sullivan.