A trial date of October 6 has been scheduled for Bradley Bloch, who is accused of stealing and reselling six historic cast iron cross gravestone markers from a Fox Crossing cemetery in Wisconsin.
Investigation and Charges
Bloch, 59, faces one count of theft of movable property. The investigation into Bloch began on May 12, 2025, when the St. Patrick’s Cemetery groundskeeper reported that multiple grave markers had been stolen.
Detective Jeremiah Gustafson discovered one of the stolen crosses listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace in the town of Lamartine. A visit to the residence led to the recovery of one cross displayed in the front yard.
Further investigation using cellular location data confirmed that Bloch’s phone was in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery at the same time as his vehicle. Over the course of the investigation, Gustafson uncovered that six crosses had been stolen, each measuring approximately four feet tall, three feet wide, and weighing close to 100 pounds.
Recovery of Stolen Gravestones
In June 2025, one cross appeared on eBay and was traced to a buyer in DeKalb, Illinois, who confirmed purchasing it from Bloch. Other online sales were tracked to buyers in Kewaunee and Waupun.
In Kewaunee, Gustafson recovered three stolen crosses from one residence. In Waupun, the sixth and final cross was recovered from another buyer, who claimed Bloch told them the marker was “set to be replaced.”
The investigation revealed that Bloch used Facebook to arrange multiple sales, instructing buyers to pick up the items from an address in Oakfield.
Impact on the Community
Peter Krautkramer, the St. Patrick’s Cemetery coordinator and sexton, expressed the importance of preserving the dignity of those buried in the cemetery. “We take the responsibility to preserve the dignity of the people that are buried here very seriously,” Krautkramer said. “And when a stone like this goes missing, it takes away from the cemetery, takes away from the person buried here.”
The gravestones haven’t yet been returned to the cemetery, but Officer Dan Wiechman with the Fox Crossing Police Department said it is working to get them returned as soon as possible.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
