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Thief steals car of Honor Guard during military funeral

DENVER — It takes a person of honor to work in the Mile High Honor Guard, according to Captain John Moreland.

"Absolutely, you are sealing the last memory that this family will have of their deceased family member," Moreland said.

Moreland and his crew perform funeral detail at military funerals at Fort Logan National Cemetery day after day. Friday morning, however, was much different.

"I left my vehicle probably 10:45, 10:50. We went away. We're talking 100, 150 yards away to perform the detail," Moreland said. "At 11:20, 11:25, we came back and my vehicle was stolen."

His 2012 Honda Pilot was taken amidst the graves during a service.

"First of all, a cemetery and then a national cemetery, people who have fought and died for the freedoms that we enjoy that someone would come there to do this was, it was just appalling," Moreland said.

It takes a person of honor to work as Senior Pastor for the Denver Christian Bible Church.

"I've been a pastor there for five years," Moreland said.

Inside his car, Moreland says 20 years of ministry material is lost. His phone contained church contacts. His laptop contained his sermons. But, the thief also got the debit card for the church. Moreland says it was used multiple times before he shut it down.

"The thought that they would steal from a cemetery and then steal from a church," Moreland said. "I just don't think it gets any lower than that."

Before his SUV was stolen, he started writing a sermon, that ironically fits his situation now.

"My sermon tomorrow actually is about faith," Moreland said. "It's about how all these very bad things happen to people of God who are often times on mission."

He has filed a report with the Denver Police Department. But, he hopes that the thief will have a change of heart and somehow return his belongings.

Moreland admits he did leave his keys in the car.

"I certainly accept responsibility for that and that won't happen again," Moreland said.

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