THEFTS FROM THE GRAVE - 'My wife doesn't deserve this treatment'

First Bruce Fisher battled to save his wife from a life-threatening disease. Then, just two hours after they were married in February, he lost her.
And now he's had a gutsful of lowlifes stealing flowers, lights and batteries from her grave at Onerahi cemetery.
The 51-year-old NorthTec tutor has even put up a notice at the nearby shops asking for help in identifying the vandals.
Mr Fisher said the spate of thefts - six so far - started three weeks after his wife's funeral. Batteries from decorative lights were the initial targets.
Now artificial flowers have started disappearing and Mr Fisher said he dreaded erecting a headstone in case it was defaced.
"Originally there were eight lights and now there's only four left. A week ago, all the batteries were missing.
"It's the lowest form of crime ... my wife didn't have anything bad to say against anyone. She doesn't need this treatment.
"If I have to go to the extreme of setting up a camp here to stop this, I will, because I think she doesn't deserve this," the father of three said.
Mr Fisher had also seen flowers from other graves scattered around the cemetery. He could not understand why anyone would stoop so low.
"This is one place which I thought people would have the ultimate respect for. It's frustrating for me and my kids."
He had received a lot of feedback after putting up the notice, but said it failed to prick the thieves' conscience.
Bruce and Jean Fisher decided to get married after living together for 15 years. The wedding was originally scheduled for June this year, but last December Jean was diagnosed with a terminal illness.
On her last night in hospital she asked if they could get married in the morning. They married at 11am. She died at 1pm.
Whangarei District Council cemeteries manager Helen Cairns said although theft from graves and vandalism of cemeteries was not at alarming levels, it was a problem.
She said the council did not want to put fences and gates around cemeteries, because people should be free to visit their loved ones whenever they liked.
``We rely on the goodwill of people to treat cemeteries with the respect they deserve,' she said.
``The saddest part is people are stealing things like artificial flowers, batteries and even the smallest things that don't have great value in money terms - but they are of enormous value to those who've lost their loved ones.' Ms Cairns said employing security at cemeteries was not viable because of the cost.
The council had been forced to chain the gates at Kamo cemetery recently because cars were using the grass ``as a race track'.