BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Baltimore County Police have arrested a man after they responded to a burglary call at Gardens of Faith Memorial Gardens on Thursday.
According to the police, the property manager contacted officers at 2:20 p.m. after a man was seen shattering glass display cases containing urns and memorabilia.
He also stole jewelry and other items that had been left in the display cases, then destroyed the urns containing the ashes of the deceased. He then used a fire extinguisher to destroy a number of marble tombstone vaults containing human remains and discharged the fire extinguisher around the mausoleum.
The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Emanuel Eric Padilla fled the scene and officers eventually located him and placed him under arrest.
Officials estimate the destruction and theft value at over $50,000.
Padilla remains in custody, charged with the following:
- Second degree burglary
- Fourth degree burglary
- Destruction of property
- Theft
- Removing human remains
- Destroying funerary object
