HEARTLESS thieves are still stealing sentimental funeral flowers despite police stepping up patrols at a crematorium.

Officers launched the crackdown last month after a selection of floral tributes were snatched from the courtyard at Basildon Crematorium, in Church Road, Bowers Gifford.

Police were contacted at least four times by distraught families.

They all arrived at the crematorium the day after paying their last respects to loved ones to discover personalised tributes, which they were due to collect, had been stolen overnight.

Since the reports, officers have been patrolling the crematorium day and night.

The Echo revealed last week no further incidents had been reported in the space of more than two weeks, but the thefts now appear to have started up again.

Thieves struck again sometime between 5pm on Wednesday, April 27 and 4pm on Friday, April 29.

PC Marek Jaworski, from Basildon Police, said: "The victim's mother was cremated and following the cremation, she left a bunch of flowers in the courtyard.

"She came back after two days and the flowers had gone. We believe that they could have been stolen.

"Although we are patrolling more often at the crematorium, we cannot be there all the time so we would ask people to keep their eyes peeled for anyone acting suspiciously or with a large truck to store a large amount of flowers.

"If you see anything like this, please contact us immediately."

A woman, who did not want to be named, said she had spotted two men collected wreaths when she was at the crematorium on Sunday, May 1.

She said: "I saw two men gather as many as they could and chuck them onto their open-back truck.

"It's such a shame as the flowers were still healthy.

"It seems a lot of money is going to waste and causes a lot of heartache.

"I know my money will still go on flowers but I'll insist on them being sent on to a hospice or old people's complex, or I will just take them home and set up a memorial garden in my own garden for my loved ones."

In one incident, a £45 custom made white and purple pillow-shaped floral tribute for Margaret Herrman, 83, who died after a short illness, was taken.

John Stevens, crematorium manager, said that CCTV cameras have also been installed in the grounds in a bid to deter thieves.

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.