After an Ephrata man is alleged to have stolen skeletons and desecrated graves at Mount Moriah Cemetery, which straddles Philadelphia and Delaware counties, officials with the cemetery have announced that they are bolstering security in response to the crimes. On social media, John R. Schmehl, J r., president of the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery announced the planned upgrades, noting that he has a family legacy at the cemetery and the friends group was hard at work to “address these violations of our sacred space.” Last week, police arrested Jonathan Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata, on accusations that claim he stole more than 100 skeletons from cemeteries in Delaware County, Philadelphia and Luzerne County. He has been charged with 26 counts of burglary, 26 counts of criminal trespass, 100 counts of abuse of corpse, 100 counts of receiving stolen property, 26 counts of intentional desecration of public monument and other related offenses. Officials claim Gerlach burglarized or desecrated 26 mausoleums and underground burial sites at Mount Moriah Cemetery. In response, Schmehl said, the friends group has expedited an expansion of its surveillance camera system across the cemetery. Also, he said, the group has begun repairing fencing “along 61st Street, 63rd Street, and Kingsessing Avenue, including the recent completion of the fence line near the SEPTA loop,” and the group plans to patrol the cemetery “at random hours” in order to deter any unauthorized activity at the cemetery. However, he said, in order to afford these upgrades, the friends group is seeking donations. He noted that the group has spent $20,000 on upgrades and repairs of mausoleums and gravesites that were targeted by the recent crimes and they have been quoted $9,000 for materials to repair just one section of fencing that is in need or repair. For more information on the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery or to donate to help repair the cemetery and help afford security upgrades, click here or email [email protected]. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less