People will steal just about anything; metal scrappers can be especially creative.

They steal copper and other scrap metals from homes. They steal from businesses, such as coal companies and excavation businesses, often disabling large pieces of equipment by stealing cables needed to run the machines. The financial costs can be staggering.

There’s another type of metal scrap theft, certainly financial but also heartbreaking, and that’s metal theft from grave sites.

Brenda Zechman, director of Veterans Affairs for Schuylkill County, said that theft of metal flag holders from veterans’ graves is all too common.

Zechman explained that when a county veteran passes away, a metal flag holder is issued for his or her final resting place. Then, yearly, volunteers place an American flag in the holder. But many times, she said, the volunteers placing the flags find that the holders have been taken.

“One time we got many back — somebody found a bag full of them along a highway in Tennessee and tracked us down because they (the flag holders) say Schuylkill County on them,” Zechman said. “It’s sad that so many get stolen, because they are there to honor the graves of our veterans.”

During a meeting Wednesday, the Schuylkill County Commissioners approved the purchase of 39,600 flags at a cost of 57.5 cents per flag or $22,770. Volunteers will place the flags on veterans’ graves throughout the county during the week or two preceding Memorial Day, Zechman said.

Zechman said that in Schuylkill County, there are about 37,000 veterans’ graves.

The metal holders for the flags cost $8.50.

Zechman said that yearly, once the flags are ordered, she sends letters to organizations, which have helped in the past to place the flags. That list has dropped from 67 to 42 organizations, she said.

“If you’re part of an organization that would want to participate, please call our office,” Zechman said. “If you’re an individual who would like to help, you can call the office, and we’ll connect you with one of the groups who are participating.”

For more information, call the Schuylkill County Veterans’ Affairs office at 570-628-1400.