Cemeteries are meant to be the final resting place for the departed, but the dead at Mutsha graveyard appear to have no peace, following the vandalism of numerous graves by suspected grave robbers.
Residents first noticed something amiss a fortnight ago while attending a funeral.
Community leader and local civic member Mr Kevin Dombo said they had been alerted to the scene, where they had discovered that several graves had been vandalised.
"On further inspection of the cemetery, we found extensive damage, with many grave stands having their aluminium removed. Some of the steelwork was also stolen. As a community, we are devastated and in shock," he said.
Dombo said they had no idea who could be so heartless as to invade a space meant for the dead. "We have always regarded this as a sacred place where the departed rest in peace, but all this has changed, with greedy individuals having the audacity to plunder it," he said.
He added that the community remained baffled about what the stolen items were being used for. "We suspect they may be sold at scrap-metal shops or used for something else. On Friday last week, I went to check and was shocked to find that a headstone had been stolen from one of the graves. This is shocking and deeply disrespectful to the dead. A case has been opened, and we hope the police will investigate and trace the suspects," Dombo said.