More than a hundred vases were stolen from Parkersburg cemeteries this week but new details are emerging that two months ago more vases were stolen that are valued at more than $6,000.

Thursday an arrest was made in connection to the June crime.

Parkersburg Police recently arrested Robert Leist for transferring stolen property.

The Walker, WV man allegedly sold vases from Evergreen North Cemetery to a scrap metal recycler in June.

"We had a new guy on the scales and he didn't know that it was something he shouldn't be buying so we ended up with the material and we were able to recover all but 6 lbs. of it," said Sharon Ashley, co-owner of Ashley's Recycling.

Ashley's Recycling received a tip from Wirt County Police to look for items stolen from cemeteries.

From their records, employees could tell Robert Leist sold cemetery vases to them.

"(We take) drivers license number, automobile number, and then we also have them on video," said Ashley.

Some recyclers, like Ashley's Recycling, not only require identification but they have people sign a statement saying they have permission to sell the materials to them.

"And then each day we send a report to the state and city police listing any purchase we've made of a hundred pounds or more," said Ashley.

Along with vases, the criminal complaint says Leist knowingly sold twenty-three stolen veteran brass flag holders, thirteen brass rods, and two name plates.

"A lot of them were broken and I think was maybe one reason why the guy on the scales wasn't suspicious of it," said Ashley.

Sunset Memory Gardens and Evergreen North Cemetery reported missing vases in June.

According to the criminal complaint, Evergreen North Cemetery identified some items as theirs.

Sunset Memory Gardens said the vases recovered weren't theirs.

Leist was released on bond but if convicted, he could face up to ten years behind bars and a twenty-five hundred dollar fine.

His hearing is set for September 2 at Wood County Magistrate Court.

Parkersburg Police Chief Gerald Board is asking the public to contact local authorities if you have any information on the thefts from the cemeteries this week.