They went to attend funerals or visit their loved ones, pausing graveside at L.A. County cemeteries to pay their respects to those they’d lost. Then, while their heads were turned, a car burglar gave them another reason to grieve, prosecutors say.
David Bassett, a 44-year-old Rancho Cucamonga native, broke into and stole from cars at two Forest Lawn cemeteries and the Oakwood Memorial Park and Cemetery in a yearlong string of crimes from Feb. 5, 2023, to Feb. 25, 2024, according to the district attorney’s office.
Basset made charges to credit cards he swiped from mourners’ vehicles, the D.A. said.
Bassett has pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to four years in state prison.
“The actions of this individual are despicable. Preying on people in their most vulnerable moments — while they’re mourning and paying their respects — is beyond reprehensible,” Hochman said in a news release. “Let this be a warning: If you exploit the grief of others for personal gain, you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted.
Bassett submitted his plea on Tuesday.
A restitution hearing to determine the amount of compensation money he must pay to victims is scheduled for March 28.
