A 57-year-old Milton woman is facing charges after Halton police investigated a string of thefts from gravesites at Milton Evergreen Cemetery.
Halton Regional Police Service said Diana Anderson of Milton was arrested on October 24 and charged with one count of Theft Under $5,000 and four counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.
Additional charges are anticipated as investigators work to identify further victims and catalogue the recovered property, police said.
Theft began in late June
The cemetery contacted police in July 2026 after families reported a series of thefts. According to Halton Regional Police Service, the thefts began in late June, and approximately 20 families reported missing items.
The stolen items include lanterns, shepherd hooks, candles, potted plants and other keepsakes left near gravesites.
On October 24, the same day as the arrest, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Milton. Officers seized items that had been reported stolen, along with dozens of other items believed to have been taken from gravesites.
Sentimental value made case a priority
While police noted the monetary value of some of the items may be relatively low, many hold significant sentimental value for the families who placed them at their loved ones' gravesites. Halton Regional Police Service said that recognizing the deeply personal nature of the thefts and their impact on affected families, investigators made the case a priority.
Police believe there may be additional victims who have not yet discovered that items were stolen from their family members' gravesites.
How to contact investigators
Anyone who believes items were stolen from a gravesite at Milton Evergreen Cemetery in recent months is encouraged to contact investigators by email at PT1@haltonpolice.ca.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact the 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777, extension 2416.
Halton Regional Police Service is headquartered at 2485 North Service Rd. W. in Oakville.
