Arriving at a funeral home in Liévin on Tuesday, the woman in question failed to attract much attention.
One family assumed she was a friend of their lost loved one, and left her alone in the room with an open coffin to pay her respects.
However, upon their return, the family noticed that the deceased’s necklace, ring and earrings had all vanished, according to reports in French media.
The family contacted the police, who were able to apprehend the woman close to the funeral home. In addition to finding the missing jewellery, they also found on her person the wallet of another deceased who had been reposing in another room of the same establishment.
Upon carrying out a search of the woman’s home address, police found a number of death notices, as well as access codes to funerals homes which are intended for families to come and visit out of hours.
The woman has been summoned to appear in court in April 2022. The investigation continues.
