Cemetery plant thief is flower shop owner, says police

A police surveillance operation to determine who was stealing flowers and plants from a New Jersey cemetery came to a startling conclusion: The suspect is a flower shop owner.

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Theft complaints at First Reformed Church Cemetery prompted police to use surveillance cameras to monitor for criminal activity. Lynda S. Wingate, 59, was captured Monday night on surveillance video stealing plants from a grave, police said.

Wingate is a former police dispatcher and current owner of a flower shop. It was unclear why Wingate was stealing the cemetery floral displays, as it does not appear she was reselling them, police said.

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Wingate was charged with theft of movable property, according to the Pequannock Township Police Department.