South Lanarkshire Council say they will not increase security at Westburn Cemetery despite another theft from a grave last weekend.
The family of Les McKenna were left distraught after flowers were removed from his grave less than 24 hours after his funeral on Friday.
Some of the floral displays were later recovered, but the incident is the latest in a long line of cruel acts at the Cambuslang cemetery.
Les' sister-in-law, Anne Clarkson, told Lanarkshire Live : "There was a large, beautiful arrangement of flowers and around half a dozen other ones at the gravesite.
"When my sister Elizabeth and I went to visit on Saturday the big ones were gone.
"I know there is a problem with deer at the cemetery sometimes coming in and eating flowers, but the cards had been removed from around the flowers and left there, so they had obviously been taken away.
"It was very upsetting to see for us. It's scumbags that have done it, either to sell them on or just to be cruel.
"The cemetery gates are always open, there isn't any security or CCTV and things like this will keep happening. You want to feel safe in the community but if there is no security you can't."
Luckily some of the flowers were found discarded elsewhere in the cemetery by undertaker Joe Nelson, who will now get the display restored.
In 2019 the Reformer told how a floral display was stolen from another grave at Westburn, just hours after a funeral, while in 2017 we told how locals were disgusted at continual thefts of items left by graves.
There have also been regular issues with vandalism at the cemetery in recent years.
However, the local authority say they cannot install any sort of cameras as it would infringe on the privacy of mourners.
Cambuslang East councillor Walter Brogan said he was saddened to hear of the incident and that he'd ask the council's head of facilities and police for their input on the matter.
SLC's head of facilities Alistair McKinnon told us: “We can understand how upsetting and distressing the theft of floral tributes from a loved one’s grave can be.
“Thefts should always be reported to the police, and you can also report these issues to the anti social behaviour team who work with local problem-solving groups and the local housing officers to try to resolve these type of issues.
"Their telephone number is 0800 389 1105.
“As our cemeteries are public areas, their gates have to remain open to allow people to visit a cemetery at the time best suited to them. The council does not install any camera equipment in any of our cemeteries because it is important to allow people to visit and grieve in private.”
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