Police say a grieving Hudson Valley woman was the victim of a thief who apparently didn't care that she was attending a funeral.

Mid Hudson News reports that David Barnes of Ellenville is charged with stealing the purse from the parking lot of Loucks Funeral Home on Route 209. At the time of the theft, the victim was inside paying her last respects at a funeral service.

Loucks Funeral Home
Loucks Funeral Home - Courtesy of Google Maps
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If the alleged thief thought this would be an easy crime, he was dead wrong. A Town of Poughkeepsie Police Officer was also attending the funeral. After he says he spotted Barnes in the act, he called the Village of Ellenville Police. Authorities say the suspect fled on bicycle and tried to ditch his jacket and bike behind another business on Route 109 when he was apprehended.

Luckily, the stolen items were returned to the victim, giving her one less thing to mourn about on such a sad occasion. Some may say that Barnes is due for some bad karma, in the meantime he'll have to deal with charges of petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. The alleged funeral thief also faces more charges for being a parole absconder. He is currently being held at the Ulster County Jail without bail.

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