The thefts occurred at Hillside Memorial Park at 1540 Alessandro Rd. It was a heartbreaking crime for Cheryl Martin, whose son died a year ago.
"Who does that? Who steals from the graves?" Martin said.
The first time items had been taken from her son's gravesite, Martin "took to the bed for three days."
"I was so hurt," Martin said. "I'm hurt every time I go up there because my boy's there."
When it happened again, Martin went to police, who set up a sting operation.
Authorities say the suspects' vehicle was stopped in the 1200 block of Olive Avenue, several blocks from Hillside Memorial Park, at about 7:30 p.m. Monday. Police found a pink child's purse, wind chimes and decorative metal art inside the vehicle -- all believed to have been taken from the gravesite minutes earlier.
The suspects, identified as 26-year-old Esha Sumaya Khondoker of Redlands and 22-year-old Kulreet Nakai of Rancho Cucamonga, admitted to taking items like flower arrangements, decorative solar lights and metal art at the cemetery for the past several months.
Police searched the suspects' residences in Redlands and Rancho Cucamonga and recovered additional stolen items.
Anyone with information or who believes they may have been a victim of this crime is urged to call the Redlands Police Department at (909) 798-7681.
