East County graveyard robber still at large

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Authorities trying to identify a man suspected of stealing brass plaques off veterans’ headstones at an East County graveyard released a photo of him this week in hopes of generating tips from the public.

Investigators had little to go on in the April 2013 thefts at Alpine Cemetery until last month, when a camera memory card found in a repossessed car turned out to contain video images of two men and a woman committing the crime, sheriff’s Detective Richard Bolter said.

The female suspect also remains at large. The other male suspect, 27-year-old Colin Frederick Bechter, has been identified and arrested.

None of the seven stolen markers, which were valued at a total of about $3,500, has been recovered, Bolter said.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or contact the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.com. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to a $1,000.