Suspected theft at Willmar veterans’ gravesites solved

WILLMAR - As he has done for previous Memorial Day observances, Chuck Bredeson placed bronze stars on the graves of all veterans in Bethel Lutheran Cemetery last weekend. When he arrived Tuesday at the Willmar cemetery to place the grave decorations into storage, all of the bronze stars in the northeast section of the cemetery were gone.
“I could hardly believe it. I couldn’t figure out what was going on,” Bredeson said during a phone interview Thursday.
It had earlier been concluded that the bronze stars had been stolen. However, Bredeson said he received information Thursday that the grave markings had been found. A local Boy Scout troop reportedly collected some of the bronze stars at the cemetery during volunteer work.
After hearing the good news about the grave markings, Bredeson said he is relieved that no theft actually took place.
Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt said the department had received report Wednesday that 23 of the 66 bronze stars placed at Bethel Lutheran Cemetery were reported stolen, which would have accounted for a loss of $460.
Local veterans organizations placed bronze stars and American flags at the gravesites of all local veterans in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.