Rancho Cucamonga man pleads no contest to string of cemetery auto burglaries

A San Bernardino County man has pleaded no contest in a string of LA County auto burglaries that occurred while people were parked at cemeteries, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Wednesday.

David Bassett, 44, of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced to four years behind bars following his plea to four felony counts of second-degree burglary of a vehicle, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The string of vehicle burglaries occurred at two Forest Lawn cemeteries and Chatsworth’s Oakwood Memorial Park and Cemetery between February 2023 and February 2024 as the victims attended funerals or otherwise paid tribute to their loved ones, prosecutors said.

“The actions of this individual are despicable,” Hochman said in a statement announcing the plea and sentencing. “Preying on people in their most vulnerable moments — while they’re mourning and paying their respects — is beyond reprehensible. Let this be a warning: If you exploit the grief of others for personal gain, you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted.