RADCLIFF, KY — Four men have been arrested and charged for allegedly stealing bronze vases from multiple gravesites across Hardin County.
Gaven Carayoan, 43; Jesse Barcinas, 33; Tomas Bernardo, 45; all of Radcliff, and Joseph Mendiola Sr., 30, of Elizabethtown, were taken into custody Tuesday following an investigation into thefts from local cemeteries.
Police say the suspects admitted to stealing the vases on Sept. 8 from graves at North Hardin Memorial Gardens. The stolen bronze was reportedly scrapped at local recycling centers in Radcliff and Elizabethtown, including Edward’s Recycling and Radiss Recycling.
According to police records, Barcinas admitted to driving the group during the theft and to various scrap yards, while Bernardo claimed to have made multiple scrap transactions, profiting around $100. Surveillance footage also allegedly shows Mendiola at scrap yards during the relevant period.
The total estimated value of the stolen vases exceeds $1,000.
All four men are charged with violating graves and theft by unlawful taking of property worth over $1,000 but under $10,000. Barcinas also faces an additional charge for possession of marijuana.
Authorities are also investigating whether these suspects are connected to similar grave robberies in Elizabethtown and Colesburg, including a case involving the graves of siblings Brianna and Bryce Taylor, whose bronze grave medallion was reported missing.
