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A Pennsylvania man was arrested and charged after authorities say they caught him in the act of lighting plastic Christmas wreathes on fire at a cemetery in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Witnesses called 911 after they saw a man, later identified as 43-year-old Peter Custer, taking the wreathes from at least three or more burial plots on the grounds of the Cedar Lawn Memorial Park cemetery, placing them on an access road, and lighting them on fire. The incident reportedly occurred at around 1:00 AM on Friday, December 24th, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office and fire departments responded to the scene. When Custer was being arrested, he reportedly said he was trying to save the earth and that plastic wreathes were non-biodegradable.
"This desecration at Cedar Lawn Memorial Park is morally wrong. Disturbing final resting places is contemptible, criminal and will not be tolerated," said Maryland Fire Marshal Brian Geraci.
Custer, who reportedly lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged with Second Degree Malicious Burning, Malicious Destruction of Property Under $1,000, and Trespassing on Private Property.