MADISON, Wis. -- The managers of Sunset Memory Gardens cemetery on Mineral Point Road said that they're considering stepping up security after the location was hit twice by thieves.

Sunset Memory Gardens had 50 unique bronze vases stolen from gravestones in the cemetery last week. This theft follows nearly 100 being stolen in 2007, managers said.

The vases are a unique feature in the picturesque cemetery as the vases dotting gravestones offer a way to remember loved ones.

"You can put fresh flowers there, on Mother's Day, Decoration Day, different times you want to remember or put something there," said Linda Brumm, whose mother, Virginia, is buried there.

Thieves have stolen the vase from her mother's gravestone for the second time.

"It's more of a disrespect and a violation," said Brumm. "How disrespectful to come marching through here and just steal things?"

Someone stole the nearly $500 vase from her mother's gravestone and nearly 100 others in 2007, but the thief was eventually caught.

"It's very sad, and in my 30 years of experience here, this has only happened once before and that's when the price of metal surged so high," said Debra Buttolph, administrator of Sunset Memory Gardens. "We just don't usually have this."

Now, cemetery officials are considering motion lights and have already increased police patrols, which are methods no one ever thought they'd need.

"In this day and age, it's obvious that something, some new measure must be taken to prevent vandalism and theft, which is very sad that you can't trust people to leave something like this alone," said Brumm.

Cemetery officials said that they don't want to put up a fence to keep people out. They said that goes against the open feeling they want people to have to remember their loved ones, but after two thefts, they feel some change might be warranted.

The vases are the property of the families, and collectively are worth thousands of dollars, which mean when caught, the thief would likely face felony charges.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.