Detectives in Gainesville say surveillance video shows a man wanted for breaking into hearses and stealing the gurneys inside.
Cpl. Kevin Holbrook showed Channel 2's Carl Willis video of the man creeping around the back of a funeral home in Gainesville. Police say it's one of two funeral homes where the thief smashed into vehicles used to transport bodies.
"It hurts. It really does," said Billy Hendrix, who operates Memorial Parks Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.
He says the crimes affect the services they provide for the community.
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"They've lost somebody and somebody wants to come take something and create a loss to us," Hendrix said.
Jimmy Brewer owns Ward's Funeral Home. He says his cameras caught the suspect in action.
First pulling up in a silver minivan, and then shining a light into each vehicle before selecting a hearse and bashing in the window.
The man appears to get frustrated and leaves Ward's funeral home after an unsuccessful attempt to get the stretcher. But a day later, a stretcher disappeared from Memorial Parks.
"Breaking into a hearse is different. We hope that the public will help us identify this individual," Holbrook said.
"Maybe this will bring some justice," Brewer said.
The victims say they've heard of these kinds of thefts, but have never seen anything like it in the area. They also say they're not sure what's fueling the crime.
"Who knows? There's value obviously new stretchers can range anywhere from $1,800 to well over $4,000," Hendrix said.
Still, it's a mystery who is doing this and why.
"It really makes you wonder what's the thought," Hendrix said.
