On the night of Feb. 8, 2010, the caretakers of North Amherst Cemetery on East Pleasant St. found dozens of brass veterans’ plaques stolen from burial sites at the cemetery site, which lies less than a mile from the University of Massachusetts campus.
Investigators from the Amherst Police Department soon determined that a number of area community police departments had received similar reports from veterans’ affairs officers, according to a press release from the Amherst Police Tuesday.
Amherst Police investigators determined that two suspects were involved, and arrested brothers Mark E. Kuklewicz of Lake Pleasant, Mass. and Stanley P. Kuklewicz of Millers Falls, Mass. Both brothers were charged with two counts, Larceny from a Grave and Larceny over $250.
The Kuklewicz brothers were arrested on the morning of March 2 in the town of Montague, Mass., with the help of the Massachusetts State Police, Greenfield Police and the Montague Police. Both men were arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Tuesday afternoon.
During the investigation, police recovered 74 of the veterans’ plaques. According to the Amherst Police Department, the investigation continues, with the APD coordinating with various surrounding law enforcement agencies in an effort to locate additional veterans’ plaques, and identify the rightful place for the recovered stolen property.
Nick Bush can be reached at [email protected].
Kyle M • Jan 18, 2012 at 2:51 pm
I think that the thieves should be thrown in prison and even possibly put out in a steel box in the middle of a firefight in Afghanistan. That should scare the he_l out of them. If it doesn’t, then we can just show them how our Veterans had earned their plaques. send them overseas and arm them with only a 9mm.And ur right. our once great nation is going down the john because of people like these two.
Sr Boucher • Mar 5, 2010 at 12:57 am
The article never states these were Umass students, but I agree, they should be given counsel by drill sergeants at Parris Island.
jr boucher • Mar 4, 2010 at 9:24 pm
How about if we turn them over to the troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division for some counseling on the proper respect to be paid to veterans of this nation.
I am confident it will have more impact than community service and will be assistive in promoting an appropriate level of remorse.
As a veteran of the war in Vietnam I am not surprised by this kind of behavior and hatred from the students of UMass and people of Amherst and surrounding communities.
Michael Foley-Röhm • Mar 4, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Er… yuppies were generally Reaganites and thus conservative.
tmacruiser • Mar 4, 2010 at 2:47 pm
These two low life thieves should be given a sentence of paying back the monetary figures of what they srtole and also work cleaning up cemetaries in MA for 10 years.
Will it happen? He_l no, our liberal yuppy government won’t let it so slap them on the hand and don’t bother me with this BS again. No wonder why our country is going down the toilet. Thank a do good yuppy who never was in the military and can’t go no where without a cell phone, internet, or pampers.
Ryan • Mar 4, 2010 at 12:44 pm
what scumbags….