Kaitlyn Kanzler

Staff Writer, @KaitlynKanzler8

PEQUANNOCK — A florist was caught in a sting set up by township police who were investigating several thefts of flowers laid at graves in the First Reformed Church Cemetery, police said.

Lynda Wingate, 59, of Riverdale, was charged with theft of movable property, police said in a prepared statement.

On April 21, investigators bought flowers and placed them in front of a columbarium, a building that stores the urns filled with cremated remains, and placed video cameras pointed at the flowers, police said. Two days later, cemetery managers told police that their flowers were gone.

When officers reviewed the photographs from their cameras, they observed a silver minivan approach the columbarium, saw a woman exit the van, and take the flowers, police said.

Wingate, a former Riverdale police dispatcher, was identified by Riverdale police from the photographs taken from the cemetery, authorities said.

Wingate was released and is pending a court appearance, police said.

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