The Mossos d’Esquadra are looking for the perpetrators of three consecutive robberies of a modernist tomb in the Montjuïc cemetery, in Barcelona. It is the Coromina pantheon, built in 1907 and considered a work of art in funerary architecture. Thieves have ripped off a large part of the bronze grill that surrounded the right wing of the tomb, where there is an angel as a central element. The owner, Albert Sáenz, estimates that about 15 meters of the balustrade, which had the shape of a climbing plant of branches, have disappeared.
A “spoils to order”
Sáenz believes that the thefts are not the work of simple junkyards, but that there is someone with a lot of purchasing power who has become enchanted by an exceptional forge with more than a hundred years of history, a true unique gem. “What is certain is that they have been attacking this pantheon for weeks, probably for reasons that go beyond selling the bronze as scrap,” he says with conviction.
A video as a clue
The Mossos d’Esquadra are investigating the third robbery, which took place last Tuesday around seven in the morning. The criminals managed to take another piece of grating. Unlike the previous times, the event was recorded by a video surveillance system that Barcelona Cemeteries installed around the pantheon after the first lootings. “They took two of them, while a third was playing the bell. They didn’t notice the cameras. When the guards arrived, they had already fled,” explains Sáenz.
The Mossos confirmed yesterday that on Tuesday, shortly after the third robbery took place, they received a report and the video that proves the fact. The police are analyzing the images to identify the thieves. No arrests have been reported at this time.
A pantheon with history
Sáenz’s relatives are buried in the cemetery, including his mother, a brother and several ancestors. The tomb has not been violated at any time, as happened to 162 niches last year, allegedly to steal gold, jewelry and watches from the deceased. The thefts at the modernist pantheon have forced Cementiris de Barcelona to strengthen security measures around it.
The Coromina tomb is one of the most emblematic tombs in the Montjuïc cemetery, and is part of the guided routes offered to discover the artistic and cultural heritage of the necropolis. Its modernist style, its ornamentation and its winged angel make it stand out among the other tombs.
