A mother was left “sick to her stomach” after a thief was caught on CCTV stealing flowers from her son’s grave. The thief was reportedly seen walking along the roadside in Stockton-on-Tees picking up the bouquets placed on the grave.
A video captured showed 39-year-old Leanne Slater stealing the flowers from Durham Road cemetery in Teesside.
Shocked by the video footage, the mother, Donna Dixon, 45, said it was “appalling to even stoop that low”.
The theft took place just half an hour after the family’s visit.
She said: “It’s not nice to steal anything but from a cemetery it’s just disgusting.
“It was such a kick in the teeth the flowers had only been on his garden for half an hour and it was his 10th memorial.’
Her son, Keiran died suddenly in 2012 and was being visited by family who shared stories and laid the fresh flowers in June last year.
Ms Donna continued: “He was a popular kid so everyone knew where the flowers had come from so we were just absolutely gutted.
“It made me sick to my stomach.
READ MORE: New claims about killer Noye’s flights and dining while on the run
She then received CCTV footage of Slater carrying the items in Stockton.
Prosecutor Anne Mitchell said that Slater was caught soon after the incident.
She said: “Enquiries were made and the location of the female was established.
“Donna Dixon then attended the location and found the defendant and detained her until police arrived.
“She was wearing the same clothing as the female pictured leaving the cemetery with the flowers.”
