Grave robbers ravage Zagreb

(Patria) - On the first day, we moved five gravestones. There was nothing in them. In the sixth grave, we found two gold teeth, three rings, and a necklace.

We took the gold and put the tin back on the coffin, and the gravestone back in its place. We divided the money from the sale of the gold.

I told the guys how to move the stone. You had to lean on another grave and push the target stone with your feet.

On the first day, Josip and I entered the graves. We saw bones and removed jewelry from them. The necklace was on the deceased's neck, and the rings were on her hands. I tore the teeth from the jaw. The next day, we also opened graves. Two coffins, but we couldn't open others because of the stench.

We got 10,800 kuna for the necklace, 200 for the teeth, and 4,000 kuna for the three rings. Jurica V. did not enter the graves but only helped move the stones on them. I regret everything. I worked with my brother for 14 hours a day in the amusement park and didn't get paid.

In the meantime, I got a job - admitted 21-year-old Patricije D., who was conditionally sentenced by the Municipal Court in Zagreb to a suspended sentence for a series of property crimes and disturbing the peace of the deceased. He received one year with a four-year probationary period and must compensate the victims 2,314 euros.

Auto painter Jurica V. (24) was also conditionally sentenced for the same, adding through his confession that their goal was to look for the oldest graves in Miroševac, believing that they contained valuable items.

- When we came across, for example, the year 1870, we decided to break in there. We opened the graves together. We opened about ten with our hands and feet. If it smelled, we put on masks, and we wore gloves. I only pushed the gravestones because I didn't want to go in due to fear and the stench.

When the gold teeth were removed from the deceased, I did not participate in that, and in other cases when I pushed the gravestones, I was under the influence of marijuana. And yes, I stole copper from the church near the cemetery. I distanced myself from all of that and got a job.

My parents died, I had a foster home for five years, and I grew up in the system, in a Children's Village, and in institutions without anyone's help - admitted Jurica V., fully aware that they had caused damage to the graves and inflicted additional, immeasurable grief on the owners.

The two convicted in these shameful bizarre acts were not alone, but acted as a quartet, but the proceedings against the other two - Josip V. (22) and Ivan M. (23) - have been separated.

For the court, they were sane at the time of committing the series of criminal offenses and acted with intent. Their confession, expressed regret, taking responsibility, and awareness of unlawful behavior, as well as their youth and life immaturity, were taken into account as mitigating circumstances.

According to the conviction part of the verdict, they removed copper benches, pipes, and moldings from buildings, a kindergarten, and a church, but in one case, the parish priest drove them away, and in another, citizens did. During the holiday season of 2021-2022, in the biting cold, they rampaged through the Miroševac cemetery.

During the day, they stole gold-colored plaster vases, purses, and wallets from grave visitors, and at night they moved gravestones, opened coffins, and touched the deceased. They couldn't open some coffins even with force and the tools they had with them.

Incidentally, Patricije D., when the police cornered him, eventually decided to lead them himself to all the graves they had forcibly opened, damaged, stolen from, or attempted to steal from.