A scrap metal dealer was found with hundreds of plaques that had been stolen from graves.
Joseph Collier, of Woodhall Drive, Dulwich, was arrested in May 2012 at DSM Scrap Metal Yard in Croydon after officers found hundreds of memorial plaques cut up into small pieces.
While on bail, Collier, 72, was caught buying new copper wiring he was told was stolen, in a police sting in March 2013.
The fragments of the grave plaques were painstakingly pieced back together by officers.
They also discovered a large bronze dragon sculpture that had been stolen from a home in Teddington and a statue of Jesus Christ taken from Putney Vale Cemetery.
Collier claimed he didn’t know about the plaques, but detectives found CCTV footage that showed him overseeing his machines chopping them up.
He faced charges on three counts of possession of criminal property, one count of disguising criminal property and one count of attempting to receive stolen goods.
Collier was convicted at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, October 1, after a one-week trial. He will be sentenced on Monday, November 3.
Sergeant George Shannon, who led the investigation, said: “I can only describe Collier’s attitude throughout this whole process as brazen. He tried to deny any knowledge of receiving stolen items, but some of the memorial plaques even had the mud and wall plugs attached where they had been prised from the graves.
“He had absolutely no regard for the law. His actions have fuelled other criminal activity by thieves stealing metal to make a quick profit.”
The Met will now consider taking further action against Collier to confiscate assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Joseph Collier, of Woodhall Drive, Dulwich, was arrested in May 2012 at DSM Scrap Metal Yard in Croydon after officers found hundreds of memorial plaques cut up into small pieces.
While on bail, Collier, 72, was caught buying new copper wiring he was told was stolen, in a police sting in March 2013.
The fragments of the grave plaques were painstakingly pieced back together by officers.
They also discovered a large bronze dragon sculpture that had been stolen from a home in Teddington and a statue of Jesus Christ taken from Putney Vale Cemetery.
Collier claimed he didn’t know about the plaques, but detectives found CCTV footage that showed him overseeing his machines chopping them up.
He faced charges on three counts of possession of criminal property, one count of disguising criminal property and one count of attempting to receive stolen goods.
Collier was convicted at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, October 1, after a one-week trial. He will be sentenced on Monday, November 3.
Sergeant George Shannon, who led the investigation, said: “I can only describe Collier’s attitude throughout this whole process as brazen. He tried to deny any knowledge of receiving stolen items, but some of the memorial plaques even had the mud and wall plugs attached where they had been prised from the graves.
“He had absolutely no regard for the law. His actions have fuelled other criminal activity by thieves stealing metal to make a quick profit.”
The Met will now consider taking further action against Collier to confiscate assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
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