CEMETERY TARGET OF AUTO BURGLARS ITEMS STOLEN WHILE PEOPLE MOURN.

Byline: EUGENE TONG Staff Writer

They were there to mourn a 7-year-old Palmdale boy whose life was cut short by cancer, to grieve in the peaceful confines of the Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Hollywood Hills, cemetery.

With their guard down and their thoughts elsewhere, thieves broke into their cars and stole purses, cell phones and other valuables.

During the Jan. 6 funeral for Kelvin Montagner, at least three parked cars were damaged in the break-ins, bringing to 10 the number of car burglaries at the cemetery in the past six months.

While police aren't calling it a rash or a trend, and other cemeteries haven't experienced the same problem, Forest Lawn officials have stepped up security in response.

``I know that these thefts have nothing to do with (the cemetery) and the excellent service they gave us,'' said Rocio Montagner, Kelvin's mother, who added that she heard there were eight break-ins that day. ``So it does make me so mad that this happened, and I would hate it to happen to more people.''

As bad as it sounds, burglars know people are vulnerable at funerals, making them easy marks, said James Jarvis, an auto-detail detective with the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division.

``I'm sure they're not looking at it as, `Hey, I'm feeling sorry about these people going to a funeral,''' he said. ``They're going to hit areas that are opportunities for them.''

The Jan. 6 break-ins occurred between 3:30 and 4 p.m., Jarvis said. Cemetery officials also said several more incidents occurred the next day during an event celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Forest Lawn spokesman Bill Martin said officials have tightened security at the cemetery, which receives 2,000 to 5,000 visitors per day. Guards are posted 24 hours a day and cameras have been installed at key locations.

``It seemed very secured, very safe,'' said Jodi Bookout, 24, of Palmdale, who had her car window smashed and her purse stolen Jan. 6. ``It's just a beautiful, beautiful place. You'd never think anything like this would happen.''

With no witnesses or suspect descriptions, police have few leads to follow. Still, Jarvis urged victims to come forward.

``If people don't report these incidents, we have no way to track it,'' he said.

Existing cemetery guidelines remind visitors to lock their cars, ``conceal any valuables'' and report anyone suspicious.

Bookout said she left her purse underneath her seat because she didn't want her cell phone to go off during the service.

``I didn't see anything wrong until I stepped to the passenger side and I saw glass everywhere,'' she said. ``I feel like such an idiot. It was my license and my credit card and digital camera, my phone -- just purse things.''

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