Nipped in the bud: Graveside granny charged with frequent floral felonies in Alabama

DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — In what the local sheriff calls a 'disgraceful act,' an Alabama woman faces dozens of charges after he says she was caught on camera stealing handmade Decoration Day flowers from a loved one's gravesite.

This happened last week, when a family member noticed her decorations had been stolen. She set up cameras to catch the crook in the act, and in the early morning hours caught 69-year-old Martha Jane Bowes stealing 2 new sets of handmade floral arrangements from a headstone, according to a release from the DeKalb County, Alabama Sheriff's Office.

What's more, when investigators searched Bowes' home, the sheriff says they found dozens more filched fake flowers. Authorities are now hoping victims can recognize theirs, and reach out. Check out our photo gallery above, and scroll down to learn how you can contact the sheriff's office.

Once the family member notified the sheriff's office, it says they opened an investigation 'due to the callous and heinous nature of the act.' They obtained warrants for Bowes' arrest on theft of property and grave desecration charges.

Deputies then carried out a search warrant at Bowes home in Hammondville, a neighborhood on the north side of Fort Payne. The release says

During the course of this search warrant the victim's floral arrangements were recovered and returned. A large amount of other decoration-style floral arrangements was also present at the residence and seized.

The next day, an investigator spoke with Bowes on the phone, urging her to turn herself in. But the release says she replied that she was currently in Mississippi, and wouldn't be back home until the next Wednesday.

But investigators soon learned she was a lot closer to home. Later that night, deputies located Bowes at another Fort Payne residence and arrested her without incident, with the help from police officers from Valley Head and Mentone.

It is sad that we even have laws on the books relating to this type of disgraceful act, but even worse that we have someone actually committing them,' said DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden. 'But just like any other crime we will 100% put our resources to solving it. Great job by DCSO Investigations and a huge thanks to the public for providing vital intel. Now stolen items can be returned in time for families to have decoration and honor their loved ones that have passed on. We will honor the thief and put a decoration of charges on them!

Now's the time to check our photo gallery above.

Authorities want to know if you recognize any of the floral graveside arrangements they recovered. We have numbered the photos in our gallery to help make things easier for victims.

If you have proof that a pictured arrangement is yours, please contact the Dekalb County Sheriff's Office Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central time at (256) 845-3801.

Depend on us to keep you posted.