Funeral myths – grave robbing

BEREAVEMENT COLUMN

If you’ve ever attended a disinterment, you’d know that modern day grave robbing is next to impossible. Back in the day when caskets had flat tops that were (in most cases) nailed shut, grave robbing, although overly laborious for small gains, may have been the norm for very desperate people. Also, a hand dug grave would have most likely been a shallow grave; thus, a grave that would have likewise required less effort to reopen than today’s modernly dug, deep depth graves.
Jumping forward to our current century, modern caskets have a convex top, and many of them have a locking mechanism that requires a key to open. Likewise, grave digging has also modernized with heavy machinery making deep graves easy to dig. Additionally, unlike grave digging of old, society and indeed municipalities have enacted regulations requiring minimum depth allowances that are deep in depth.
A casket with a nailed on flat top can be opened within the confines of the original grave as the top may be lifted straight up upon the removal of the nails. A modern day casket with a curved top requires an additional 16-inch width to open. That means that the original grave will not allow the casket to be opened without widening the grave on the hinged side. Additionally, if the casket has been upgraded to a sealer casket, it will require a casket key to open. A sealer casket has a bar that engages with the winding or cranking of the key. There is no popping it open without the casket key. Not even a crowbar will break open a sealer casket; not to mention the additional width it would require to get enough space for a crowbars usage.
As previously mentioned, modern heavy digging equipment and grave depth requirements make reopening graves by hand laboriously prohibitive. Even if someone were overly motivated to rob a modern day grave, they would still be faced with having to widen the grave in order to allow room for the curved top to open. Additionally, if the casket were keyed, they would need to lengthen the grave 10” to 26” depending on the key in their possession.
Realistically, I don’t know how a potential grave robber would acquire a casket key. A casket key is only obtainable from a casket manufacturer and they don’t sell their keys to the general public. I order to obtain one, a grave robber would need to open a wholesalers account with a casket supplier or a funeral merchandise supplier. In order to open such accounts, a grave robber would need proof of a state licensed funeral home.
It has been my experience at disinterments that in order to access a buried casket, an area of no less than twice the width and at least half the length increase of the casket is required. Disinterments look like an excavation site rather than a gravesite. The amount of required digging by grave robbers without heavy machinery would be impossible for one nights work.
If a person is motivated to invest this much effort into robbing a grave, why wouldn’t they just get a day job and buy the items they think exist within a certain grave? If you’re considering robbing a grave, I think you’re crazy.
Trust and believe me when I tell you that your time and efforts would be better applied to an honest profession rather than grave robbing

My name is Tracy Renee Lee. I am a Certified Grief Counselor (GC-C), Funeral Director (FDIC), published author, syndicated columnist, Podcaster, and founder of the “Mikey Joe Children’s Memorial” and Heaven Sent, Corp. I write books, weekly bereavement articles, Podcasts, and Grief BRIEFs related to understanding and coping with grief. I am the American Funeral Director of the Year Runner-Up and recipient of the BBB’s Integrity Award.

For additional encouragement, please visit my podcast “Deadline” on Spotify and follow me on Instagram at “Deadline_TracyLee.”