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Trenton resident Christopher M. Gutschow (left) and Michael A. Stasinski of Hamilton, arrested after allegedly stealing over 200 bronze vases and urns from grave sites.

(Hamilton Police)

HAMILTON — Police have arrested two men they believe are responsible for stealing scores of bronze vases and urns from grave sites at two cemeteries in town, and they believe the men may have committed similar thefts elsewhere in Mercer County.

Authorities say that 35-year-old Trenton resident Christopher Gutschow and 43-year-old Michael Stasinski of Hamilton stole 200 of the bronze markers during three visits to the Greenwood and Colonial Cemeteries in the township. The bronze pieces were valued at $300 apiece, police said.

While Hamilton police conducted the investigation that led to the arrests, they found reason to suspect that Gutschow and Stasinski had not limited their predations to the township, Hamilton Capt. Remo DiPaolo said.

“Probable cause was developed to link both suspects with thefts in both Princeton and Robbinsville,” DiPaolo said.

Police in Robbinsville and Princeton consider Gutschow and Stasinski to be prime suspects in vase and urn thefts in cemeteries in their jurisdictions, including one in Princeton where over $25,000 worth of grave markers was stolen.

No charges had been filed outside of Hamilton as of last night, but Gutschow and Stasinski already face three counts of theft and one of burglary each in Hamilton, township police said. Gutschow and Stasinski were being held on $10,000 bail.

The duo allegedly sold the hundreds of stolen metal fixtures to scrap dealers for cash. The urns and vases are traditionally placed near the gravestones in the cemeteries, and often function as containers or holders for flowers or candles placed by friends and relatives of the deceased.

Gutschow and Stasinski took about vases and urns during three visits to the Greenwood Cemetery and Colonial Cemetery over the last three months before being arrested yesterday, police said. The suspects are also charged with burglary for allegedly having forced their way into a shed to steal more of the graveside markers, DiPaolo said.

Yesterday, Princeton Sgt. Michael Cifelli said his department had been advised by Hamilton police of the arrests, and Princeton detectives were trying to schedule interviews with the arrested men to investigate the possible connection to Princeton’s cemetery thefts.

One of these was reported just last month on the morning of Sept. 12. Police say parties unknown targeted the All Saints Church on All Saints Road sometime between Sept. 7 and Sept. 11, removing 85 brass flower grave markers from the church cemetery. The total value of the stolen items was estimated at $25,500.

It’s not the first time vases and urns have been stolen in Hamilton, police said, and a group of people doing so were arrested last year.

Gutschow and Stasinski were not connected to that ring, DiPaolo said. No other suspects are being sought in the most recent slew of thefts in Hamilton.

Hamilton Detectives Leonard Gadsby and Robert Diszler conducted the investigation into the thefts. Anyone with additional information is asked to call police at (609) 581-4009 or the anonymous tip line at (609) 581-4008.

Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.

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