Yerevan police are at a loss to explain why the city’s twenty-one cemeteries are targeted by people who steal burial wreaths from gravesites, especially in November and December.

One such theft recently occurred in Yerevan’s Karmir Blur cemetery in the Shengavit District.

Relatives of Ashot Mkhitaryan were shocked to see that twenty-nine floral wreaths and bouquets had been stolen from his grave when they visited the cemetery a day after his burial.

Cemetery workers told the relatives that they’d heard of similar incidents, even at the graves of soldiers.

Dustrik Mkhitaryan, Ashot’s sister, tells Hetq that the family reported the theft to the police.

Police officials told Hetq that they have no statistics for such crimes.

Yerevan’s cemeteries are maintained by the municipality’s Special Service of Population non-profit organization. It coordinates the process of allocation of land plots at community cemeteries and other related functions.

Director Hrachya Nazaryan told Hetq that Yerevan’s cemeteries comprise an area of 550 hectares and lack any border enclosures. Each has a staff of two inspectors, one director, and a handful of workers.

“It’s impossible to monitor such a large area. They have several vehicular entrances. Our workday ends at six. No one’s there afterwards. There’s no plan to hire security guards,” says Nazaryan.

Nazaryan also can’t explain why such thefts surge in November and December. He says such incidents are reported to the police and tells people to do the same.

Nazaryan says the Yerevan Municipality is reviewing a plan to fence off several cemeteries in the city and decrease the number of car entrances. Cases of gravestones being stolen have also been reported.

Once the cemeteries are fenced off, security cameras might be installed to catch those stealing burial wreaths from the graves of the recently departed.