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** In the later film ''Film/CorridorsOfBlood'', Karloff plays a well-meaning doctor forced to buy cadavers, acquired in this way by a sinister fellow named Resurrection Joe (Creator/ChristopherLee).
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* ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth 2'''s Egyptian campaign features a different kind of grave robbing in one level set in a famine, where starving people pull ''the mummified corpses'' out of the pyramid to eat them.


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* ''{{VideoGame/Pharaoh}}'': Once burial goods have been placed in a tomb, unsafe areas of an city will spawn grave robbers, who will head straight to the grave in order to plunder it. Unlike regular thieves who will drain the city coffers, the grave robbers only take things that were already accounted for and in small quantities, so there's no major inconvenience... except that the afterlife being the SeriousBusiness that it is, your Kingdom Rating takes a hit if a grave robber gets through.

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* The ''Music/CreatureFeature'' song ''Grave Robber At Large'' is about Grave Robbing [[CaptainObvious Obviously]].

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* The ''Music/CreatureFeature'' song ''Grave Robber At Large'' is about Grave Robbing [[CaptainObvious Obviously]].Large'', naturally.
-->There's a grave robber at large\\
Ripping bodies from hallowed ground\\
Desecrate those who rest in peace\\
There's profit to be made from the recent deceased
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* ''Series/HorribleHistories'' gives a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyKoKVR6ilg cheery song]] about the gruesome activities of historical grave robbers Burk and Hare.
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* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': In "The Catafalque", part of the IMF's plan requires to steal the body of the former leader of a {{Ruritania}} while [[DeadGuyOnDisplay while it is on public display]].

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[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', when Vinny lists off the things the group isn't proud of, they include grave-robbing, plundering tombs -and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking double parking]].
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''. Batman breaks into the grave of [[spoiler:Jason Todd]]. He was presumed to be dead and laid to rest after a [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown "fight"]] with The Joker but having tested the Red Hood's DNA and discovered a match, He and Alfred break into the grave to verify that his body is still there. To their surprise, it has been replaced with a stunningly accurate latex dummy...
* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986'', Draggle raids a random grave at the cemetery to get one of the ingredients of smooze and accidentally falls in. She is later seen [[DemBones getting kicked out by its inhabitant]].
[[/folder]]



* On ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' the most common and effective way to defeat the ghost is by finding the bones and burning them. This will almost always lead to a scene of the boys acting as grave robbers. Technically, they aren't robbing graves, [[KillItWithFire just desecrating them.]] InUniverse, however, they are accused and charged with grave robbing when the law caught up with them.

to:

* On ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' ''Series/TheFortyFourHundred'': Grave Robbing: In "As Fate Would Have It", Jordan Collier's body vanishes from the most common and effective way to defeat the ghost is by finding the bones and burning them. This will almost always lead to a scene 4400 Center immediately after his memorial service.
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' ("[[Recap/AngelS05E02JustRewards Just Rewards]]") When Angel takes over [[OccultLawFirm Wolfram & Hart]], one
of the boys acting as first things he does is shut down their [[UnusualEuphemism Interment Acquisitions]] department. This gets him on the bad side of a powerful necromancer.
* On ''Series/BabylonFive'', a race called the Markab dies off and others start using the local jumpgate to strip their home planet bare until Sheridan blows it up.
* ''Series/BlackSaddle'': In "Client: Starkey", Clay and Scott exhume an unmarked
grave robbers. Technically, they aren't in the middle of the night while attempting to unravel the mystery of a TownWithADarkSecret.
* Obligatory ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' reference - when Giles hears about graves opened from the outside his academic curiosity is stirred:
-->'''Giles''': Grave
robbing - that's new...interesting!
-->'''Buffy''': I ''know'' you meant to say "gross and disturbing!"
-->'''Giles''': Yes, yes, of course. Terrible thing; must...must put a stop to it. ...umm, dammit!
* On ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' it came up during one of the town meetings that [[FrontierDoctor Doc Cochran]] had been arrested for grave robbing, presumably ForScience.
* In the ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' episode "Taking the Stone", set on an entire planet used as a cemetery for royalty, LovableRogue Rygel steals gold and jewels from
graves, [[KillItWithFire just desecrating them.]] InUniverse, however, they are accused and charged with grave robbing when but returns them after suffering poltergeist phenomena. It's [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane left unclear]] whether this was due to actual vengeful spirits, or to the law caught up with them.team psychic Zhaan using her powers to teach him a lesson.



* On ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Charles Widmore took this trope to extremes when he [[spoiler: had 324 graves in Thailand dug up just so he could create a fake wreckage of Oceanic 815.]]
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Habeus Corpus", the body of a dead man is stolen from his bed minutes after he is pronounced dead, and then the body of a woman who died five months previously is dug up and stolen from her grave.
* ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'': In "Second Line" the NCIS team uncovers a case of tomb-robbing, with the robbers stealing valuable artifacts from tombs to sell and on the black market and taking the bones as well to establish the provenance of the artifacts.
* Larry, Darryl, and Darryl of ''Series/{{Newhart}}'' were first introduced when they were hired to dig up a long-dead body.



* On ''Series/PennyDreadful'', Victor Frankenstein is recruited to the team from where he'd been earning a living - and acquiring raw materials - assessing and prepping the cadavers brought in by resurrectionists for London's medical schools.
* In the third season premiere of ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', someone digs up Alison's grave and steals her body, as well as the mementos her friends buried with her.



* Larry, Darryl, and Darryl of ''Series/{{Newhart}}'' were first introduced when they were hired to dig up a long-dead body.
* Obligatory ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' reference - when Giles hears about graves opened from the outside his academic curiosity is stirred:
-->'''Giles''': Grave robbing - that's new...interesting!
-->'''Buffy''': I ''know'' you meant to say "gross and disturbing!"
-->'''Giles''': Yes, yes, of course. Terrible thing; must...must put a stop to it. ...umm, dammit!
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' ("[[Recap/AngelS05E02JustRewards Just Rewards]]") When Angel takes over [[OccultLawFirm Wolfram & Hart]], one of the first things he does is shut down their [[UnusualEuphemism Interment Acquisitions]] department. This gets him on the bad side of a powerful necromancer.
* On ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Charles Widmore took this trope to extremes when he [[spoiler: had 324 graves in Thailand dug up just so he could create a fake wreckage of Oceanic 815.]]
* On ''Series/BabylonFive'', a race called the Markab dies off and others start using the local jumpgate to strip their home planet bare until Sheridan blows it up.
* On ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' it came up during one of the town meetings that [[FrontierDoctor Doc Cochran]] had been arrested for grave robbing, presumably ForScience.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Habeus Corpus", the body of a dead man is stolen from his bed minutes after he is pronounced dead, and then the body of a woman who died five months previously is dug up and stolen from her grave.
* ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'': In "Second Line" the NCIS team uncovers a case of tomb-robbing, with the robbers stealing valuable artifacts from tombs to sell and on the black market and taking the bones as well to establish the provenance of the artifacts.
* In the third season premiere of ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', someone digs up Alison's grave and steals her body, as well as the mementos her friends buried with her.
* In the ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' episode "Taking the Stone", set on an entire planet used as a cemetery for royalty, LovableRogue Rygel steals gold and jewels from graves, but returns them after suffering poltergeist phenomena. It's [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane left unclear]] whether this was due to actual vengeful spirits, or to the team psychic Zhaan using her powers to teach him a lesson.

to:

* Larry, Darryl, and Darryl of ''Series/{{Newhart}}'' were first introduced when they were hired to dig up a long-dead body.
* Obligatory ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' reference - when Giles hears about graves opened from the outside his academic curiosity is stirred:
-->'''Giles''': Grave robbing - that's new...interesting!
-->'''Buffy''': I ''know'' you meant to say "gross and disturbing!"
-->'''Giles''': Yes, yes, of course. Terrible thing; must...must put a stop to it. ...umm, dammit!
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' ("[[Recap/AngelS05E02JustRewards Just Rewards]]") When Angel takes over [[OccultLawFirm Wolfram & Hart]], one of the first things he does is shut down their [[UnusualEuphemism Interment Acquisitions]] department. This gets him on the bad side of a powerful necromancer.
* On ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Charles Widmore took this trope to extremes when he [[spoiler: had 324 graves in Thailand dug up just so he could create a fake wreckage of Oceanic 815.]]
* On ''Series/BabylonFive'', a race called
''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' the Markab dies off most common and others start using effective way to defeat the local jumpgate to strip their home planet bare until Sheridan blows it up.
* On ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' it came up during one of the town meetings that [[FrontierDoctor Doc Cochran]] had been arrested for grave robbing, presumably ForScience.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Habeus Corpus", the body of a dead man
ghost is stolen from his bed minutes after he is pronounced dead, and then the body of a woman who died five months previously is dug up and stolen from her grave.
* ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'': In "Second Line" the NCIS team uncovers a case of tomb-robbing, with the robbers stealing valuable artifacts from tombs to sell and on the black market and taking
by finding the bones as well and burning them. This will almost always lead to establish the provenance a scene of the artifacts.
* In the third season premiere of ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', someone digs up Alison's
boys acting as grave and steals her body, as well as the mementos her friends buried with her.
* In the ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' episode "Taking the Stone", set on an entire planet used as a cemetery for royalty, LovableRogue Rygel steals gold and jewels from
robbers. Technically, they aren't robbing graves, but returns them after suffering poltergeist phenomena. It's [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane left unclear]] whether this was due to actual vengeful spirits, or to [[KillItWithFire just desecrating them.]] InUniverse, however, they are accused and charged with grave robbing when the team psychic Zhaan using her powers to teach him a lesson.law caught up with them.



* On ''Series/PennyDreadful'', Victor Frankenstein is recruited to the team from where he'd been earning a living - and acquiring raw materials - assessing and prepping the cadavers brought in by resurrectionists for London's medical schools.
* ''Series/BlackSaddle'': In "Client: Starkey", Clay and Scott exhume an unmarked grave in the middle of the night while attempting to unravel the mystery of a TownWithADarkSecret.
* ''Series/TheFortyFourHundred'': Grave Robbing: In "As Fate Would Have It", Jordan Collier's body vanishes from the 4400 Center immediately after his memorial service.



* Many ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' cards are based around this, usually allowing the exhumed creature to be played again.



* Tomb robbing is the [[PlanetOfHats Hat]] of the Yitek race in the ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' game.



* Many ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' cards are based around this, usually allowing the exhumed creature to be played again.
* Tomb robbing is the [[PlanetOfHats Hat]] of the Yitek race in the ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' game.



* Some of the character bios (in-game and in the instruction manual) outright state that [[Franchise/TombRaider Lara Croft]] is often accused of this.
** The series is named '''''Franchise/TombRaider'''''. You don't need the manual to figure it out.
* Guybrush does this in ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'' in order to make a voodoo doll of Largo. The scene is complete with thunder and lightning accompanied by swelling musical dread, ending with Guybrush hoisting the stolen item over his head while his pants fall to his ankles.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' allows players with a shovel to dig up graves. Beyond an odd few sidequest important ones, they give you the "gravedigger" reputation (bad).
** It's also very profitable. And the reaction when you [[spoiler: dig up a ghoul who was accidentally buried. This leads to funny comments and one confused PC]].
** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' also allows players to do this if they have a shovel in their inventory. No significant consequences are attached but what loot there is to be found is usually pretty mild (a few meds, some ammo, or maybe a damaged weapon)



* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' features the Tomb Prospector, a whole clan of Healing Church graverobbers designed to rob the ancient tombs of Pthumeru.
* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' has the Grave Robber class, which specializes in dodging, knife throwing, pickaxing enemies' faces in, and delivering Blight via poison syringes. Her backstory shows she was a widowed noblewoman who fell into hard times and resorted to grave robbing. You can also loot grave curios provided you have a shovel to spare. Plus, your adventures often take you into the undead-haunted Ruins of your ancestry in order to grab heirlooms belonging to your family for purposes of rebuilding the Hamlet.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' features [[LegacyCharacter Trusty Patches]], an EasilyForgiven graverobber with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder, who kicks people into a bottomless pit and loot them, and he [[BerserkButton hates clerics]].
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' features Afflicted Graverobber, TheSquadette of a WolfpackBoss, she looted Alva's Armor and [[DualWield carried two]] [[KatanasAreJustBetter Berserker Blades]].
* ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' features [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Graverobber]] Blige, who takes what he can from the dead to sell to passing Demon slayers. In fact, almost every merchant but the Once Royal Mistress gets their ways by taking advantage of the demon invasion this way.
* ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', as you might imagine, has you visiting quite a few tombs -- and given the best way to raise money for maintenance and magic items is to smash apart sarcophagi, one can safely guess that you get to do a lot of this. One of the earliest such quests has you thwarting a grave robbing attempt by Sahuagin and their Devourer cultist allies, who want to raise the dead of the family entombed there as undead to use against the village of Korthos.
* One evil fundraising option in the Empires {{Gaiden Game}}s to the ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' is opening a tomb and taking whatever's inside.



* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' allows players with a shovel to dig up graves. Beyond an odd few sidequest important ones, they give you the "gravedigger" reputation (bad).
** It's also very profitable. And the reaction when you [[spoiler: dig up a ghoul who was accidentally buried. This leads to funny comments and one confused PC]].
** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' also allows players to do this if they have a shovel in their inventory. No significant consequences are attached but what loot there is to be found is usually pretty mild (a few meds, some ammo, or maybe a damaged weapon)
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you rob treasure from pyramids in the desert. Each pyramid can contain things like gold, iron, diamonds, bones, and rotten flesh, but they're also guarded by TNT traps that trigger if you step on the pressure plate. Doing so will destroy all the treasure and kill you.
** Jungle temples have arrow traps that are triggered the moment you walk through the linked tripwires or destroying the wire itself. The only safe way to disarm the trap is to use shears to cut the wire. Luckily, you can just stand on one side of the hall to avoid the arrows and just loot the dispensers of their arrows. Jungle temples also have chests that contain similar treasure from the pyramids.
* Guybrush does this in ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'' in order to make a voodoo doll of Largo. The scene is complete with thunder and lightning accompanied by swelling musical dread, ending with Guybrush hoisting the stolen item over his head while his pants fall to his ankles.
* In the PC game based on''Film/TheMummy1999'', the first levels include tomb raiders as enemies, who will try to murder Rick with pickaxes, presumably so they can eliminate a witness to their thievery.



* One evil fundraising option in the Empires {{Gaiden Game}}s to the ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' is opening a tomb and taking whatever's inside.

to:

* One evil fundraising option in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has a guild of people known as the Empires {{Gaiden Game}}s Collectors whose job is to find dead bodies and turn them in to the ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' is opening Dustmen, a tomb local sect that runs the Mortuary and taking whatever's inside.prepares and inters the bodies of Sigil's dead. The Collectors almost always strip the bodies of everything valuable first. One of your party members, [[HalfHumanHybrid Annah]], is one... and met you by finding your PlayerCharacter dead and collecting his body. (The game starts with you waking up at the morgue, and you meet up with her again later.)
** You can later discover that [[spoiler:a particularly rich Collector has become rich by finding ways into the Dustmen's own crypts, essentially robbing them of their own charges and re-selling them back. The Dustmen will ''not'' be happy to learn this.]]
* Elika accuses the Prince of being this in ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008''. He doesn't deny it.



* Elika accuses the Prince of being this in ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008''. He doesn't deny it.
* ''Creator/FromSoftware''
** ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' features [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Graverobber]] Blige, who takes what he can from the dead to sell to passing Demon slayers. In fact, almost every merchant but the Once Royal Mistress gets their ways by taking advantage of the demon invasion this way.
** ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' features [[LegacyCharacter Trusty Patches]], an EasilyForgiven graverobber with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder, who kicks people into a bottomless pit and loot them, and he [[BerserkButton hates clerics]].
** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' features Afflicted Graverobber, TheSquadette of a WolfpackBoss, she looted Alva's Armor and [[DualWield carried two]] [[KatanasAreJustBetter Berserker Blades]].
** ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' features the Tomb Prospector, a whole clan of Healing Church graverobbers designed to rob the ancient tombs of Pthumeru.
* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has a guild of people known as the Collectors whose job is to find dead bodies and turn them in to the Dustmen, a local sect that runs the Mortuary and prepares and inters the bodies of Sigil's dead. The Collectors almost always strip the bodies of everything valuable first. One of your party members, [[HalfHumanHybrid Annah]], is one... and met you by finding your PlayerCharacter dead and collecting his body. (The game starts with you waking up at the morgue, and you meet up with her again later.)
** You can later discover that [[spoiler:a particularly rich Collector has become rich by finding ways into the Dustmen's own crypts, essentially robbing them of their own charges and re-selling them back. The Dustmen will ''not'' be happy to learn this.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you rob treasure from pyramids in the desert. Each pyramid can contain things like gold, iron, diamonds, bones, and rotten flesh, but they're also guarded by TNT traps that trigger if you step on the pressure plate. Doing so will destroy all the treasure and kill you.
** Jungle temples have arrow traps that are triggered the moment you walk through the linked tripwires or destroying the wire itself. The only safe way to disarm the trap is to use shears to cut the wire. Luckily, you can just stand on one side of the hall to avoid the arrows and just loot the dispensers of their arrows. Jungle temples also have chests that contain similar treasure from the pyramids.
* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'', as [[AdventureArchaeologist part of the territory]]. Lampshaded in ''[[VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune Drake's Fortune]]'':
--> '''Elena:''' Whoa, reading 16th-century Spanish. [[HiddenDepths Not just]] a grave robber after all, huh?
* ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', as you might imagine, has you visiting quite a few tombs -- and given the best way to raise money for maintenance and magic items is to smash apart sarcophagi, one can safely guess that you get to do a lot of this. One of the earliest such quests has you thwarting a grave robbing attempt by Sahuagin and their Devourer cultist allies, who want to raise the dead of the family entombed there as undead to use against the village of Korthos.

to:

* Elika accuses In ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'', the Prince of being this in ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008''. He doesn't deny it.
* ''Creator/FromSoftware''
** ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' features [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Graverobber]] Blige,
second expansion ''Delta Rising'' revealed that the Kobali, who takes what he can from populate their race by reviving the dead to sell to passing Demon slayers. In fact, almost every merchant but the Once Royal Mistress via a special virus who transform them into Kobali, have gone into this, [[spoiler:taken fallen Vaadwaur and changing them into Kobali]]. This angers [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Harry Kim]], as he was never told this. This gets their ways by taking advantage of even worse when he finds out that [[spoiler:they have the demon invasion this way.
** ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' features [[LegacyCharacter Trusty Patches]], an EasilyForgiven graverobber with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder, who kicks people
real Harry Kim and are turning him into a bottomless pit and loot them, and he [[BerserkButton hates clerics]].
** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' features Afflicted Graverobber, TheSquadette of a WolfpackBoss, she looted Alva's Armor and [[DualWield carried two]] [[KatanasAreJustBetter Berserker Blades]].
** ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' features
Kobali, too.]] This last incident makes Harry decide to force the Tomb Prospector, a whole clan of Healing Church graverobbers designed to rob the ancient tombs of Pthumeru.
* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has a guild of people known as the Collectors whose job is to find dead bodies and turn them in to the Dustmen, a local sect that runs the Mortuary and prepares and inters the bodies of Sigil's dead. The Collectors almost always strip the bodies of everything valuable first. One of your party members, [[HalfHumanHybrid Annah]], is one... and met you by finding your PlayerCharacter dead and collecting his body. (The game starts with you waking up at the morgue, and you meet up with her again later.)
** You can later discover that [[spoiler:a particularly rich Collector has become rich by finding ways
Kobali into the Dustmen's own crypts, essentially robbing them of changing their own charges rules over someone being revived. The Kobali usually don't rob actual ''graves'', but that's because there appears to be limits to how damaged a corpse can be and re-selling them back. The Dustmen will ''not'' still be happy possible to learn this.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you rob treasure from pyramids in
turn into a living Kobali -- the desert. Each pyramid can contain things like gold, iron, diamonds, bones, and rotten flesh, but they're also guarded by TNT traps that trigger if you step on the pressure plate. Doing so will destroy all the treasure and kill you.
** Jungle temples have arrow traps that are triggered the moment you walk through the linked tripwires or destroying the wire itself. The only safe way
main source of [[spoiler: Vaadwaur is actually a giant cryostasis facility meant to disarm the trap is to use shears to cut the wire. Luckily, you can just stand on one side preserve thousands of the hall to avoid the arrows and just loot the dispensers of Vaadwaur for their arrows. Jungle temples also have chests that contain similar treasure from the pyramids.
* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'', as [[AdventureArchaeologist part of the territory]]. Lampshaded in ''[[VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune Drake's Fortune]]'':
--> '''Elena:''' Whoa, reading 16th-century Spanish. [[HiddenDepths Not just]] a grave robber after all, huh?
* ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', as you might imagine, has you visiting quite a few tombs --
eventual return. The Kobali just keep an eye on it and given the best way to raise money pull out corpses for maintenance and magic items is to smash apart sarcophagi, one can safely guess that you get to do transformation whenever a lot of this. One of the earliest such quests has you thwarting a grave robbing attempt by Sahuagin and their Devourer cultist allies, who want to raise the dead of the family entombed there as undead to use against the village of Korthos.cryopod fails.]]



* In ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'', the second expansion ''Delta Rising'' revealed that the Kobali, who populate their race by reviving the dead via a special virus who transform them into Kobali, have gone into this, [[spoiler:taken fallen Vaadwaur and changing them into Kobali]]. This angers [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Harry Kim]], as he was never told this. This gets even worse when he finds out that [[spoiler:they have the real Harry Kim and are turning him into a Kobali, too.]] This last incident makes Harry decide to force the Kobali into changing their rules over someone being revived. The Kobali usually don't rob actual ''graves'', but that's because there appears to be limits to how damaged a corpse can be and still be possible to turn into a living Kobali -- the main source of [[spoiler: Vaadwaur is actually a giant cryostasis facility meant to preserve thousands of Vaadwaur for their eventual return. The Kobali just keep an eye on it and pull out corpses for transformation whenever a cryopod fails.]]

to:

* In ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'', Some of the second expansion ''Delta Rising'' revealed character bios (in-game and in the instruction manual) outright state that the Kobali, who populate their race by reviving the dead via a special virus who transform them into Kobali, have gone into this, [[spoiler:taken fallen Vaadwaur and changing them into Kobali]]. This angers [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Harry Kim]], as he was never told this. This gets even worse when he finds out that [[spoiler:they have the real Harry Kim and are turning him into a Kobali, too.]] This last incident makes Harry decide to force the Kobali into changing their rules over someone being revived. [[Franchise/TombRaider Lara Croft]] is often accused of this.
**
The Kobali usually series is named '''''Franchise/TombRaider'''''. You don't rob actual ''graves'', but that's because there appears to be limits to how damaged a corpse can be and still be possible to turn into a living Kobali -- need the main source manual to figure it out.
* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'', as [[AdventureArchaeologist part
of [[spoiler: Vaadwaur is actually the territory]]. Lampshaded in ''[[VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune Drake's Fortune]]'':
--> '''Elena:''' Whoa, reading 16th-century Spanish. [[HiddenDepths Not just]]
a giant cryostasis facility meant to preserve thousands of Vaadwaur for their eventual return. The Kobali just keep an eye on it and pull out corpses for transformation whenever a cryopod fails.]]grave robber after all, huh?



* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' has the Grave Robber class, which specializes in dodging, knife throwing, pickaxing enemies' faces in, and delivering Blight via poison syringes. Her backstory shows she was a widowed noblewoman who fell into hard times and resorted to grave robbing. You can also loot grave curios provided you have a shovel to spare. Plus, your adventures often take you into the undead-haunted Ruins of your ancestry in order to grab heirlooms belonging to your family for purposes of rebuilding the Hamlet.
* In the PC game based on''Film/TheMummy1999'', the first levels include tomb raiders as enemies, who will try to murder Rick with pickaxes, presumably so they can eliminate a witness to their thievery.



* ''Webcomic/{{Underling}}'': [[http://underlingcomic.com/page-one-hundred-forty-five/ or so he is accused]]



* ''Webcomic/{{Underling}}'': [[http://underlingcomic.com/page-one-hundred-forty-five/ or so he is accused]]



* On ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', [[KidHero Finn]] needs to find princess hair to save his best friend from an evil, balding witch. He winds up in a cemetery and finds a grave belonging to "Princess Beautiful," whom he digs up. [[spoiler:It turns out she died of baldness. Also, rather than her spirit being vengeful, her skeleton simply thanks him for freeing her and wanders away]].
-->"Hey, that's perfect! [[LampshadeHanging And...sort of macabre]]...oh well."



* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', when Vinny lists off the things the group isn't proud of, they include grave-robbing, plundering tombs -and double parking
* On ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', [[KidHero Finn]] needs to find princess hair to save his best friend from an evil, balding witch. He winds up in a cemetery and finds a grave belonging to "Princess Beautiful," whom he digs up. [[spoiler:It turns out she died of baldness. Also, rather than her spirit being vengeful, her skeleton simply thanks him for freeing her and wanders away]].
-->"Hey, that's perfect! [[LampshadeHanging And...sort of macabre]]...oh well."



* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' had Mr. Krabs digging up a grave of a guy he (seemingly) made up to retrieve a valuable hat buried there by Spongebob ([[ItMakesSenseInContext long story]]). The deceased is annoyed at this and summons an army of zombie fish skeletons to stop Krabs (only for Krabs to defeat them all).



* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986'', Draggle raids a random grave at the cemetery to get one of the ingredients of smooze and accidentally falls in. She is later seen [[DemBones getting kicked out by its inhabitant]].
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''. Batman breaks into the grave of [[spoiler:Jason Todd]]. He was presumed to be dead and laid to rest after a [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown "fight"]] with The Joker but having tested the Red Hood's DNA and discovered a match, He and Alfred break into the grave to verify that his body is still there. To their surprise, it has been replaced with a stunningly accurate latex dummy...
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' had Mr. Krabs digging up a grave of a guy he (seemingly) made up to retrieve a valuable hat buried there by Spongebob ([[ItMakesSenseInContext long story]]). The deceased is annoyed at this and summons an army of zombie fish skeletons to stop Krabs (only for Krabs to defeat them all)

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[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Frankenstein1931}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frankenstein_grave_robery1.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"He's just resting, waiting for a new life to come."]]



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[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Frankenstein1931}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frankenstein_grave_robery1.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"He's just resting, waiting for a new life to come."]]
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* ''Manga/YuGiOh'': Dark Bakura's past self in Ancient Egypt. Some justification in that his start was robbing from the evil kings who sacrifice his village for dark magic. Besides, he was also the self-pronounced "Thief King", and generally believed that it was within his right to steal whatever he wanted.

to:

* ''Manga/YuGiOh'': Dark Bakura's past self in Ancient Egypt. Some justification in that his start was robbing from In ''Manhua/HitoriNoShitaTheOutcast'', the evil kings who sacrifice his village for dark magic. Besides, he was also plot is sparked by an act of grave robbery. Protagonist Chou Soran's grandfather's corpse is stolen.
* In ''Manga/HollowFields'',
the self-pronounced "Thief King", and generally believed that it was within his right story's namesake school has an entire class dedicated to steal whatever he wanted.the subject.



* In ''Manhua/HitoriNoShitaTheOutcast'', the plot is sparked by an act of grave robbery. Protagonist Chou Soran's grandfather's corpse is stolen.
* In ''Manga/HollowFields'', the story's namesake school has an entire class dedicated to the subject.

to:

* In ''Manhua/HitoriNoShitaTheOutcast'', ''Manga/YuGiOh'': Dark Bakura's past self in Ancient Egypt. Some justification in that his start was robbing from the plot is sparked by an act of grave robbery. Protagonist Chou Soran's grandfather's corpse is stolen.
* In ''Manga/HollowFields'',
evil kings who sacrifice his village for dark magic. Besides, he was also the story's namesake school has an entire class dedicated self-pronounced "Thief King", and generally believed that it was within his right to the subject.steal whatever he wanted.



* Used for a StealthPun[=/=][[TheCameo Cameo]] in Creator/DanAbnett and Andy Lanning's Creator/DCComics {{Elseworld}} ''The Superman Monster'', which combines the Franchise/{{Superman}} mythos with ''Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}''. MadScientist Victor Luthor is provided with corpses by a resurrectionist who is clearly this universe's counterpart of Mitch Shelley, the ComicBook/ResurrectionMan.
* In a short ComicBook/MartianManhunter story, J'onn is given the case of a presumed mass murderer in his role as police detective John Jones. A man has been found with his apartment full of dead bodies! J'onn pretty quickly figures out he's a grave robber, not a murderer. Among other things, all the corpses were obviously prepared for burial (wearing formal clothing and makeup).

to:

* Used for a StealthPun[=/=][[TheCameo Cameo]] in Creator/DanAbnett and Andy Lanning's Creator/DCComics {{Elseworld}} ''The Superman Monster'', which combines the Franchise/{{Superman}} mythos During ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', Project Cadmus steals Superman's body after his funeral with ''Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}''. MadScientist Victor Luthor is provided with corpses by a resurrectionist who is clearly this universe's counterpart of Mitch Shelley, the ComicBook/ResurrectionMan.
* In a short ComicBook/MartianManhunter story, J'onn is given
intent of cloning him. A little bit later on, the case of a presumed mass murderer in his role as police detective John Jones. A man has been found with his apartment full of dead bodies! J'onn pretty quickly figures out he's a grave robber, not a murderer. Among other things, all Eradicator does the corpses were obviously prepared for burial (wearing formal clothing same thing when he tries to claim Superman's body and makeup).can only create a facsimile.



* The clone of the ComicBook/RedSkull that debuts in ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' demonstrates that he is every bit as vile as his source material when he steals Professor Xavier's body and ''rips out his brain'' so he can steal Xavier's PsychicPowers.
* The Hand was brazen enough to dig up {{Doctor Octopus}}'s corpse from a public cemetery in ''broad daylight'' in order to enact the evil ritual that restored him to life. As one might expect, [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Peter]] and Mary Jane were rather shaken about it after seeing it on the news.
* During ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', Project Cadmus steals Superman's body after his funeral with the intent of cloning him. A little bit later on, the Eradicator does the same thing when he tries to claim Superman's body and can only create a facsimile.
* In the '70s, DC had a short-lived comic called ''Plop!'', in which a crew of ghoulish looking folks present stories, each with a KarmicTwistEnding. In one, a kindly old man is actually a secret grave robber who visits funerals only to inventory the jewelry of the deceased. But when the doctor tells him his time is coming, he's frantic to avoid the same treatment at the hands of his apprentice. So he stipulates that he be buried only in everyday clothes. Alas, he forgot that a dentist who believed the man's public image had given him a free overhaul. And in the last scene, the apprentice is happily bashing out the gold teeth from the old man's corpse.



* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: A mummy whose tomb ComicBook/{{Etta|Candy}}, Bobby, and Glamora are exploring alongside one of their professors accuses them of being grave robbers before attacking them, and doesn't see how the distinction between robber and archeologist is anything more than pedantic.

to:

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: A mummy whose tomb ComicBook/{{Etta|Candy}}, Bobby, and Glamora are exploring alongside one In a short ''ComicBook/MartianManhunter'' story, J'onn is given the case of their professors accuses them a presumed mass murderer in his role as police detective John Jones. A man has been found with his apartment full of being dead bodies! J'onn pretty quickly figures out he's a grave robbers before attacking them, robber, not a murderer. Among other things, all the corpses were obviously prepared for burial (wearing formal clothing and doesn't see how makeup).
* In
the distinction between '70s, DC had a short-lived comic called ''Plop!'', in which a crew of ghoulish looking folks present stories, each with a KarmicTwistEnding. In one, a kindly old man is actually a secret grave robber and archeologist who visits funerals only to inventory the jewelry of the deceased. But when the doctor tells him his time is anything more than pedantic.coming, he's frantic to avoid the same treatment at the hands of his apprentice. So he stipulates that he be buried only in everyday clothes. Alas, he forgot that a dentist who believed the man's public image had given him a free overhaul. And in the last scene, the apprentice is happily bashing out the gold teeth from the old man's corpse.



* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': The Hand was brazen enough to dig up {{Doctor Octopus}}'s corpse from a public cemetery in ''broad daylight'' in order to enact the evil ritual that restored him to life. As one might expect, Peter and Mary Jane were rather shaken about it after seeing it on the news.
* Used for a StealthPun[=/=][[TheCameo Cameo]] in Creator/DanAbnett and Andy Lanning's Creator/DCComics {{Elseworld}} ''The Superman Monster'', which combines the Franchise/{{Superman}} mythos with ''Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}''. MadScientist Victor Luthor is provided with corpses by a resurrectionist who is clearly this universe's counterpart of Mitch Shelley, the ComicBook/ResurrectionMan.
* The clone of the ComicBook/RedSkull that debuts in ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' demonstrates that he is every bit as vile as his source material when he steals Professor Xavier's body and ''rips out his brain'' so he can steal Xavier's PsychicPowers.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: A mummy whose tomb ComicBook/{{Etta|Candy}}, Bobby, and Glamora are exploring alongside one of their professors accuses them of being grave robbers before attacking them, and doesn't see how the distinction between robber and archeologist is anything more than pedantic.



* In ''Film/ArmyOfFrankensteins'', one of Igor's main duties is securing body parts from graveyards for MadScientist Dr. Finski's experiments.
* In ''Film/TheAtomicBrain'' (also shown on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''), Dr. Otto Frank steals the bodies of the recently deceased so he can test his atomic-powered revival machine. These "recently deceased" have been dead for a bit, reviving them leaves them as mindless zombies, but it's proof of concept that he can revive the dead.



* ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera'' has a singing, dancing MrExposition in the Graverobber (played by the fantastic Terrance Zdunich). He slinks around stealing Zydrate from dead bodies and telling us how this CrapsackWorld came to be.
* Speaking of Franchise/IndianaJones, an instance of him being accused of being a grave robber was recounted at the banquet in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom''.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th''
** The opening dream sequence of ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVANewBeginning'' features two guys digging up Jason's corpse, and getting killed by him.
** In ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives'', Jason is accidentally resurrected by {{lightning|CanDoAnything}} when a survivor from the last film digs up his corpse to symbolically kill him with fire.
* The ''Film/{{Phantasm}}'' films feature large-scale grave robbing by the Tall Man, who animates and shrinks the dead to provide slave labor on another planet (or another dimension, other time, etc).

to:

* ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera'' has a singing, dancing MrExposition in Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
** Both versions of ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' have
the Graverobber (played by the fantastic Terrance Zdunich). He slinks around stealing Zydrate from dead bodies and telling us how this CrapsackWorld came to be.
* Speaking of Franchise/IndianaJones, an instance of him being accused of being a grave robber was recounted at the banquet in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom''.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th''
** The opening dream sequence of ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVANewBeginning'' features two guys
League digging up Jason's corpse, and getting killed by him.
[[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.
** In ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives'', Jason is accidentally resurrected by {{lightning|CanDoAnything}} when a survivor from the last film ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', Victor Stone/Cyborg digs up in his corpse to symbolically kill him with fire.
* The ''Film/{{Phantasm}}'' films feature large-scale
mother's grave robbing by the Tall Man, who animates to hide a Mother Box in it.
* In ''Film/TheEroticRitesOfFrankenstein'', Vera Frankenstein steals her father's body from his tomb so she can revivify it
and shrinks the dead to provide slave labor on another planet (or another dimension, other time, etc).hear his last words.



** In ''Film/FrankensteinCreatedWoman'', Christina breaks into Hans's grave to steal his head.



* ''Film/SantoVsLaHijaDeFrankestein'' opens with a grave-robbing scene.
* Ed and Joey in ''Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDeadPartII'' are at the graveyard to open graves and take their owner's heads for selling. When the zombies start to rise, Ed believes that they're sent by God to punish him.
* In ''Film/TheAtomicBrain'' (also shown on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''), Dr. Otto Frank steals the bodies of the recently deceased so he can test his atomic-powered revival machine. These "recently deceased" have been dead for a bit, reviving them leaves them as mindless zombies, but it's proof of concept that he can revive the dead.
* In ''We Are From The Future'', the four protagonists make a lot of money digging up old World War 2 battlefields and selling the artifacts they find, including personal items found on corpses. They get LaserGuidedKarma when they are transported back in time to 1943 and discover that the bodies they have desecrated in 2008 were their own.
* In ''Film/KnifeForTheLadies'', Burns and Jarrod (illegally) break into Travis' tomb to see if his corpse is actually there. They choose to do this at night just as a storm breaks.
* ''Film/LadyFrankenstein'' opens with Tom Lynch and his cronies stealing bodies for Dr. Frankenstein.
* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
** Both versions of ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' have the League digging up [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.
** In ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', Victor Stone/Cyborg digs in his mother's grave to hide a Mother Box in it.
* In ''Film/TheGhoul'', multiple thieves are planning to break into Professor Morlant's tomb to steal the jewel he believes is going to resurrect him.
* In ''Film/GangOfRoses'', Left Eye's gang spends a large amount of time digging up graves in the town's cemetery; looking for either the treasure or the map detailing its location.



* In ''Film/FrankensteinCreatedWoman'', Christina breaks into Hans's grave to steal his head.

to:

* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'':
** The opening dream sequence of ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVANewBeginning'' features two guys digging up Jason's corpse, and getting killed by him.
** In ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives'', Jason is accidentally resurrected by {{lightning|CanDoAnything}} when a survivor from the last film digs up his corpse to symbolically kill him with fire.
* In ''Film/FrankensteinCreatedWoman'', Christina breaks ''Film/GangOfRoses'', Left Eye's gang spends a large amount of time digging up graves in the town's cemetery; looking for either the treasure or the map detailing its location.
* In ''Film/TheGhoul'', multiple thieves are planning to break
into Hans's grave Professor Morlant's tomb to steal his head.the jewel he believes is going to resurrect him.



* ''Film/TortureGarden'': In "The Man Who Collected Poe", Lancelot Canning reveals that his grandfather was resurrection man who who stole bodies to supply medical schools. He also robbed Poe's grave and stole the dust of his mortal remains before using black magic to resurrect him.

to:

* ''Film/TortureGarden'': In "The Man Who Collected Poe", Lancelot Canning reveals that his grandfather was resurrection man who who stole bodies to supply medical schools. He also robbed Poe's Speaking of Franchise/IndianaJones, an instance of him being accused of being a grave and stole robber was recounted at the dust of his mortal remains before using black magic to resurrect him.banquet in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom''.



* In ''Film/KnifeForTheLadies'', Burns and Jarrod (illegally) break into Travis' tomb to see if his corpse is actually there. They choose to do this at night just as a storm breaks.
* ''Film/LadyFrankenstein'' opens with Tom Lynch and his cronies stealing bodies for Dr. Frankenstein.
* The ''Film/{{Phantasm}}'' films feature large-scale grave robbing by the Tall Man, who animates and shrinks the dead to provide slave labor on another planet (or another dimension, other time, etc).
* Ed and Joey in ''Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDeadPartII'' are at the graveyard to open graves and take their owner's heads for selling. When the zombies start to rise, Ed believes that they're sent by God to punish him.
* ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera'' has a singing, dancing MrExposition in the Graverobber (played by the fantastic Terrance Zdunich). He slinks around stealing Zydrate from dead bodies and telling us how this CrapsackWorld came to be.
* ''Film/SantoVsLaHijaDeFrankestein'' opens with a grave-robbing scene.



* In ''Film/TheEroticRitesOfFrankenstein'', Vera Frankenstein steals her father's body from his tomb so she can revivify it and hear his last words.

to:

* ''Film/TortureGarden'': In ''Film/TheEroticRitesOfFrankenstein'', Vera Frankenstein steals her father's body from "The Man Who Collected Poe", Lancelot Canning reveals that his tomb so she can revivify it grandfather was resurrection man who who stole bodies to supply medical schools. He also robbed Poe's grave and hear stole the dust of his last words.mortal remains before using black magic to resurrect him.



* In ''Film/ArmyOfFrankensteins'', one of Igor's main duties is securing body parts from graveyards for MadScientist Dr. Finski's experiments.



* In ''Literature/TheBlackThiefAndTheKnightOfTheGlen'', one of the thief's story is about his robbing a grave.
* Jerry Cruncher's side job in ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities.''
* In ''Literature/TheBible'', Mary Magdalene believes this is what happened to Jesus' body until she [[BackFromTheDead finds proof otherwise]].
* In Creator/LyndaRobinson's ''Lord Meren'' mystery series, the tomb of heretic pharaoh Akhenaten is broken into, and his body dismembered, by his vengeful political enemies. Their intention is to deny him an afterlife.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Literature/ANightInTheLonesomeOctober'': not only do all the Players, good guys or bad, engage in the practice, but one night they all raid the same cemetery at the same time, and commence trading the excavated body parts needed for their various rituals and schemes. By ''throwing them to one another'', no less. "Oi, here's that liver yer wantin'. Catch!"
* In Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer'', this is what Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe and Muff Potter are doing in the graveyard (presumably for medical research, as the ringleader is a doctor) until Joe murders Robinson and frames Muff.

to:

* In ''Literature/TheBlackThiefAndTheKnightOfTheGlen'', one of the thief's story is about his robbing a grave.
* Jerry Cruncher's side job in ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities.''
* In ''Literature/TheBible'', Mary Magdalene believes this is what happened to Jesus' body until she [[BackFromTheDead finds proof otherwise]].
* In Creator/LyndaRobinson's ''Lord Meren'' mystery series, the tomb of heretic pharaoh Akhenaten is broken into, and his body dismembered, by his vengeful political enemies. Their intention is to deny him an afterlife.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Literature/ANightInTheLonesomeOctober'': not only do all the Players, good guys or bad, engage in the practice, but one night they all raid the same cemetery at the same time, and commence trading the excavated body parts needed for their various rituals and schemes. By ''throwing them to one another'', no less. "Oi, here's that liver yer wantin'. Catch!"
* In Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer'', this is what Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe and Muff Potter are doing in the graveyard (presumably for medical research, as the ringleader is a doctor) until Joe murders Robinson and frames Muff.
!!Authors




!!Individual works
* In Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer'', this is what Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe and Muff Potter are doing in the graveyard (presumably for medical research, as the ringleader is a doctor) until Joe murders Robinson and frames Muff.



* In ''Literature/TheBible'', Mary Magdalene believes this is what happened to Jesus' body until she [[BackFromTheDead finds proof otherwise]].
* In ''Literature/TheBlackThiefAndTheKnightOfTheGlen'', one of the thief's story is about his robbing a grave.
* The resurrectionist trade is also the subject of Creator/RobertLouisStevenson's 1884 horror short story "The Body Snatcher", the basis of the above-mentioned movie of the same name.
* One of the tasks [[BitchInSheepsClothing Mrs. White]] asks the four protagonists to do in ''Literature/TheCandyShopWar''. Granted, the guy did leave a note granting permission to break into his tomb (he hid a valuable artifact there and gives instructions on how to get in) but the kids are uneasy about it at the very least.



* In ''[[Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths The Doctrine of Labyrinths]]'', resurrectionists have their own WeirdTradeUnion in the city of Melusine.



* ''[[Literature/ForgottenRealms Return of the Archwizards]]'' trilogy begins when an elven tomb guards' routine patrol detects what they think is yet another desecration by a bunch of human "adventurers". Things don't go well when these specific humans turned out to be extremely uninterested in the tomb stuffed with traps, magic, and valuables, other than as a place marker.
* The Literature/MatthewHawkwood novel ''Resurrectionist'' is about the grave robbing trade that supplied the medical schools in Regency England.
* The resurrectionist trade is also the subject of Creator/RobertLouisStevenson's 1884 horror short story "The Body Snatcher", the basis of the above-mentioned movie of the same name.
* Doctor Evazam was doing this for his zombie experiments in ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: City of the Dead''. He's soon killed and [[DueToTheDead buried]]. Later Tash wishes to exhume him, and her uncle and his droid agree, but local customs don't let that happen legally. So they'll just have to grave rob surreptitiously.



* One of the tasks [[BitchInSheepsClothing Mrs. White]] asks the four protagonists to do in ''Literature/TheCandyShopWar''. Granted, the guy did leave a note granting permission to break into his tomb (he hid a valuable artifact there and gives instructions on how to get in) but the kids are uneasy about it at the very least.
* In ''[[Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths The Doctrine of Labyrinths]]'', resurrectionists have their own WeirdTradeUnion in the city of Melusine.

to:

* One Doctor Evazam was doing this for his zombie experiments in ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: City of the tasks [[BitchInSheepsClothing Mrs. White]] asks Dead''. He's soon killed and [[DueToTheDead buried]]. Later Tash wishes to exhume him, and her uncle and his droid agree, but local customs don't let that happen legally. So they'll just have to grave rob surreptitiously.
* In Creator/LyndaRobinson's ''Literature/LordMeren'' mystery series,
the four protagonists to do in ''Literature/TheCandyShopWar''. Granted, the guy did leave a note granting permission to break into his tomb (he hid a valuable artifact there of heretic pharaoh Akhenaten is broken into, and gives instructions on how his body dismembered, by his vengeful political enemies. Their intention is to get in) but the kids are uneasy deny him an afterlife.
* The ''Literature/MatthewHawkwood'' novel ''Resurrectionist'' is
about it the grave robbing trade that supplied the medical schools in Regency England.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Literature/ANightInTheLonesomeOctober'': not only do all the Players, good guys or bad, engage in the practice, but one night they all raid the same cemetery
at the very least.
* In ''[[Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths The Doctrine of Labyrinths]]'', resurrectionists have
same time, and commence trading the excavated body parts needed for their own WeirdTradeUnion in the city of Melusine.various rituals and schemes. By ''throwing them to one another'', no less. "Oi, here's that liver yer wantin'. Catch!"


Added DiffLines:

* ''[[Literature/ForgottenRealms Return of the Archwizards]]'' trilogy begins when an elven tomb guards' routine patrol detects what they think is yet another desecration by a bunch of human "adventurers". Things don't go well when these specific humans turned out to be extremely uninterested in the tomb stuffed with traps, magic, and valuables, other than as a place marker.
* Jerry Cruncher's side job in ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities.''
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* In ''Film/ArmyOfFrankensteins'', one of Igor's main duties is securing body parts from graveyards for MadScientist Dr. Finski's experiments.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* In the PC game based on''Film/TheMummy1999'', the first levels include tomb raiders as enemies, who will try to murder Rick with pickaxes, presumably so they can eliminate a witness to their thievery.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* In 2015, a witch from New Orleans posted in a witchcraft discussion group about using human bones they found in a nearby cemetery (specifically, a potter's field, which meant the graves were shallow and not very well protected) for rituals, and offering to send them to people. (There are in fact some rituals in various forms of witchcraft that require human remains, but none that allow you to just take random bones from a stranger without their prior consent.) This naturally caused a ''huge'' backlash, both from [[StopBeingStereotypical other witches]], and outsiders who heard about the incident, and eventually led to a raid on the poster's home and a ''shitload'' of memes on Tumblr. The witch, for their part, insisted that it wasn't grave robbery because they never literally dug up a grave; they waited for the rain to wash some bones up to the surface. [[SurprinsinglyRealisticOutcome Law enforcement didn't care]]. ''WebVideo/WhenPostingGoesWrong'' had an episode detailing the incident.

to:

* In 2015, a witch from New Orleans posted in a witchcraft discussion group about using human bones they found in a nearby cemetery (specifically, a potter's field, which meant the graves were shallow and not very well protected) for rituals, and offering to send them to people. (There are in fact some rituals in various forms of witchcraft that require human remains, but none that allow you to just take random bones from a stranger without their prior consent.) This naturally caused a ''huge'' backlash, both from [[StopBeingStereotypical other witches]], and outsiders who heard about the incident, and eventually led to a raid on the poster's home and a ''shitload'' of memes on Tumblr. The witch, for their part, insisted that it wasn't grave robbery because they never literally dug up a grave; they waited for the rain to wash some bones up to the surface. [[SurprinsinglyRealisticOutcome [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Law enforcement didn't care]]. ''WebVideo/WhenPostingGoesWrong'' had an episode detailing the incident.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* In 2015, a witch from New Orleans posted in a witchcraft discussion group about using human bones they found in a nearby cemetery (specifically, a potter's field, which meant the graves were shallow and not very well protected) for rituals, and offering to send them to people. (There are in fact some rituals in various forms of witchcraft that require human remains, but none that allow you to just take random bones from a stranger without their prior consent.) This naturally caused a ''huge'' backlash, both from [[StopBeingStereotypical other witches]], and outsiders who heard about the incident, and eventually led to a raid on the poster's home and a ''shitload'' of memes on Tumblr. The witch, for their part, insisted that it wasn't grave robbery because they never literally dug up a grave; they waited for the rain to wash some bones up to the surface. [[RealityEnsues Law enforcement didn't care]]. ''WebVideo/WhenPostingGoesWrong'' had an episode detailing the incident.

to:

* In 2015, a witch from New Orleans posted in a witchcraft discussion group about using human bones they found in a nearby cemetery (specifically, a potter's field, which meant the graves were shallow and not very well protected) for rituals, and offering to send them to people. (There are in fact some rituals in various forms of witchcraft that require human remains, but none that allow you to just take random bones from a stranger without their prior consent.) This naturally caused a ''huge'' backlash, both from [[StopBeingStereotypical other witches]], and outsiders who heard about the incident, and eventually led to a raid on the poster's home and a ''shitload'' of memes on Tumblr. The witch, for their part, insisted that it wasn't grave robbery because they never literally dug up a grave; they waited for the rain to wash some bones up to the surface. [[RealityEnsues [[SurprinsinglyRealisticOutcome Law enforcement didn't care]]. ''WebVideo/WhenPostingGoesWrong'' had an episode detailing the incident.
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** Not just Scotland, the practice was common in many countries. "Doctor riots", mobs beating up medical professionals after a grave had been found desecrated, occurred in several US cities in the nineteenth century. Scotland is most famous because of those jolly chaps [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Hare_murders William Burke and William Hare]] who realised that waiting for bodies to be buried, then digging them up took longer than making fresh bodies out of unsuspecting boarders. They then sold the corpses to Dr. Robert Knox for anatomy classes with no questions asked. ''Series/HorribleHistories'' has a hilarious sketch about this. "Burke and Hare had murdered them, that was plain to see, then brought their bodies to my lab and pocketed the fee!" Children soon began to sing an eerie rhyme in the streets, "Up the close and doon the stair, But and ben' wi' Burke and Hare. Burke's the butcher, Hare's the thief, Knox is the boy that buys the beef."

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** Not just Scotland, the practice was common in many countries. "Doctor riots", mobs beating up medical professionals after a grave had been found desecrated, occurred in several US cities in the nineteenth century. Scotland is most famous because of those jolly chaps [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Hare_murders William Burke and William Hare]] who realised that waiting for bodies to be buried, then digging them up took longer than making fresh bodies out of unsuspecting boarders. They then sold the corpses to Dr. Robert Knox for anatomy classes with no questions asked. ''Series/HorribleHistories'' has a hilarious sketch about this. "Burke and Hare had murdered them, that was plain to see, then brought their bodies to my lab and pocketed the fee!" Children soon began to sing an eerie rhyme in the streets, "Up the close and doon the stair, But and ben' wi' Burke and Hare. Burke's the butcher, Hare's the thief, Knox is the boy that buys the beef."" The act of murdering a person (normally via [[VorpalPillow smothering]] so as minimize damage to the body) for the purpose of selling their corpse for dissection became known as "Burking". [[LaserGuidedKarma Burke was ultimately executed for the murders and himself dissected]], while [[KarmaHoudini Hare got off scot free by testifying against Burke]]. A few years later, another gang of body snatchers decided Burke had been onto a good idea went on their own murder spree to sell corpses to anatomists. They were known as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Burkers London Burkers]].
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In some cases, TheUndead, corpses BackFromTheDead are the properties themselves, {{Necromancer}}s are prone to be repeat offenders of this.

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In some cases, TheUndead, corpses BackFromTheDead are the properties themselves, themselves. {{Necromancer}}s are prone to be repeat offenders of this.
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[[folder:Web Original]]
* During [[ArcVillain Jschlatt's]] [[TheFunInFuneral funeral]] on the ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'', just to drive home the fact that the man had a ZeroPercentApprovalRating, the members of the server showed their LastDisrespects to the former President/Emperor of Manburg by, among ''other things'', robbing his coffin[[note]]From the meta, all of his body parts were just renamed items, since bodies disappear after death immediately in Minecraft[[/note]]. Tommy and Tubbo played with his bones, Puffy sold his remains at the Targay, her renovated Target store, and Quackity took his heart and ''[[BlackComedyCannibalism ate it]]'', then stole the remaining bones from his grave to try to resurrect him as a political puppet.
[[/folder]]

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* The 1945 film ''Film/TheBodySnatcher'', directed by Creator/RobertWise, starring Creator/BelaLugosi and Creator/BorisKarloff. This was based on a Creator/RobertLouisStevenson short story of the same that was VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory of Burke and Hare (body snatchers who sold the body of a dead tenant to pay his back rent, liked the money, and decided to increase their income by increasing their supply of the dead.)

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* The 1945 film ''Film/TheBodySnatcher'', directed by Creator/RobertWise, starring Creator/BelaLugosi and Creator/BorisKarloff. This was based on a Creator/RobertLouisStevenson short story of the same that was VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory of Burke and Hare (body snatchers who sold the body of a dead tenant to pay his back rent, liked the money, and decided to increase their income by increasing their supply of the dead.)) Karloff's character is [[ExpyCoexistence specifically compared to Burke and Hare a few times]], and the doctor he's stealing the bodies for is supposed to be a protege of Dr. Knox, Burke and Hare's own main buyer.



-->'''Frankenstein''': What a filthy job!\\
'''[[TheIgor Igor]]''': Could be worse.\\
'''Frankenstein''': How?\\
'''Igor''': [[TemptingFate Could be raining.]]\\
''*clap of thunder and torrential rain*''



* In Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer'', this is what Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe and Muff Potter are doing in the graveyard (presumably for medical research, as the ringleader is a doctor) until Joe murders Robinson.

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* In Creator/MarkTwain's ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer'', this is what Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe and Muff Potter are doing in the graveyard (presumably for medical research, as the ringleader is a doctor) until Joe murders Robinson.Robinson and frames Muff.



** The antiheroes of "The Hound" are a pair of ghoulish guys who rob graves for fun.
** The actual Ghouls in his other stories rob graves for food.

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** The antiheroes of "The Hound" are a pair of ghoulish guys who rob graves for fun.
fun. This attracts the ire of the [[{{hellhound}} title character]].
** The actual Ghouls in his other stories ''Literature/PickmansModel'' (and to a lesser extent, ''Literature/TheDreamQuestOfUnknownKadath'') rob graves for food.


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** ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' has a very atmospheric mission where you must catch some graverobbers in the above-ground cemetery of [[TheBigEasy Saint Denis]], although it's ambiguous whether these guys are RobbingTheDead or after the bodies themselves.
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** ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' has ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} and ComicBook/TheFlash digging up [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.
** Cyborg is seen angrily digging up something in a cemetery in the trailer of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''.

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** Both versions of ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' has ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} and ComicBook/TheFlash have the League digging up [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.
** Cyborg is seen angrily digging up something In ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', Victor Stone/Cyborg digs in his mother's grave to hide a cemetery Mother Box in the trailer of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''.it.
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* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' has the Grave Robber class, which specializes in dodging, knife throwing, pickaxing enemies' faces in, and delivering Blight via poison syringes. You can also loot grave curios provided you have a shovel to spare. Plus, your adventures often take you into the undead-haunted Ruins of your ancestry in order to grab heirlooms belonging to your family for purposes of rebuilding the Hamlet.

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* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' has the Grave Robber class, which specializes in dodging, knife throwing, pickaxing enemies' faces in, and delivering Blight via poison syringes. Her backstory shows she was a widowed noblewoman who fell into hard times and resorted to grave robbing. You can also loot grave curios provided you have a shovel to spare. Plus, your adventures often take you into the undead-haunted Ruins of your ancestry in order to grab heirlooms belonging to your family for purposes of rebuilding the Hamlet.
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** Cyborg is seend angrily digging up something in a cemetery in the trailer of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''.

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** Cyborg is seend seen angrily digging up something in a cemetery in the trailer of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''.

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* ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' has ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} and ComicBook/TheFlash digging up [[Film/BatmanVsSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.

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* ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
** ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}''
has ComicBook/{{Cyborg}} and ComicBook/TheFlash digging up [[Film/BatmanVsSupermanDawnOfJustice [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's body]] to resurrect him for aid in the fight against Steppenwolf.Steppenwolf.
** Cyborg is seend angrily digging up something in a cemetery in the trailer of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''.
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* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': A mummy whose tomb Etta, Bobby, and Glamora are exploring alongside one of their professors accuses them of being grave robbers before attacking them, and doesn't see how the distinction between robber and archeologist is anything more than pedantic.

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* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: A mummy whose tomb Etta, ComicBook/{{Etta|Candy}}, Bobby, and Glamora are exploring alongside one of their professors accuses them of being grave robbers before attacking them, and doesn't see how the distinction between robber and archeologist is anything more than pedantic.
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* In ''Film/WeAreFromTheFuture'' the protagonists are four young Russians who make money digging up World War 2 battle sites for artifacts and sell them to collectors. They descend into this trope when they discover a collapsed bunker that still contains the bones of the soldiers killed in it. Rather than report this so the remains can be reburied in a military cemetery, the protagonists rob the corpses of all surviving personal items and one of them goes as far as use a skull for target practice. This complete disregard for DueToTheDead is punished by them being transported to 1942 into the middle of a battle between Soviet and German forces. To their horror, they realize that the remains they desecrated might be their own.
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* In 2015, a witch from New Orleans posted in a witchcraft discussion group about using human bones they found in a nearby cemetery (specifically, a potter's field, which meant the graves were shallow and not very well protected) for rituals, and offering to send them to people. (There are in fact some rituals in various forms of witchcraft that require human remains, but none that allow you to just take random bones from a stranger without their prior consent.) This naturally caused a ''huge'' backlash, both from [[StopBeingStereotypical other witches]], and outsiders who heard about the incident, and eventually led to a raid on the poster's home and a ''shitload'' of memes on Tumblr. The witch, for their part, insisted that it wasn't grave robbery because they never literally dug up a grave; they waited for the rain to wash some bones up to the surface. [[RealityEnsues Law enforcement didn't care]]. ''WebVideo/WhenPostingGoesWrong'' had an episode detailing the incident.
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* In ''Film/TheEroticRitesOfFrankenstein'', Vera Frankenstein steals her father's body from his tomb so she can revivify it and hear his last words.
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* In order to test a theory in ''SherlockHolmesAndTheHouseOfFear'', Holmes has Watson dig up a recent grave in the village graveyard. The coffin is empty, thereby proving that [[spoiler:the conspirators have been stealing bodies from the graveyard and using them to fake their own deaths]].

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* In order to test a theory in ''SherlockHolmesAndTheHouseOfFear'', ''Film/SherlockHolmesAndTheHouseOfFear'', Holmes has Watson dig up a recent grave in the village graveyard. The coffin is empty, thereby proving that [[spoiler:the conspirators have been stealing bodies from the graveyard and using them to fake their own deaths]].
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* In order to test a theory in ''SherlockHolmesAndTheHouseOfFear'', Holmes has Watson dig up a recent grave in the village graveyard. The coffin is empty, thereby proving that [[spoiler:the conspirators have been stealing bodies from the graveyard and using them to fake their own deaths]].
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* ""Film/TheFieldGuideToEvil'': In "The Kindler and the Virgin", the Kindler robs the graves of the freshly dead: cutting out their hearts and eating them in a quest to gain infinite knowledge.

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* ""Film/TheFieldGuideToEvil'': ''Film/TheFieldGuideToEvil'': In "The Kindler and the Virgin", the Kindler robs the graves of the freshly dead: cutting out their hearts and eating them in a quest to gain infinite knowledge.
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* ""Film/TheFieldGuideToEvil'': In "The Kindler and the Virgin", the Kindler robs the graves of the freshly dead: cutting out their hearts and eating them in a quest to gain infinite knowledge.

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* In the '70s, DC had a short-lived comic called Plop!, in which a crew of ghoulish looking folks present stories, each with a KarmicTwistEnding. In one, a kindly old man is actually a secret grave robber who visits funerals only to inventory the jewelry of the deceased. But when the doctor tells him his time is coming, he's frantic to avoid the same treatment at the hands of his apprentice. So he stipulates that he be buried only in everyday clothes. Alas, he forgot that a dentist who believed the man's public image had given him a free overhaul. And in the last scene, the apprentice is happily bashing out the gold teeth from the old man's corpse.

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* In the '70s, DC had a short-lived comic called Plop!, ''Plop!'', in which a crew of ghoulish looking folks present stories, each with a KarmicTwistEnding. In one, a kindly old man is actually a secret grave robber who visits funerals only to inventory the jewelry of the deceased. But when the doctor tells him his time is coming, he's frantic to avoid the same treatment at the hands of his apprentice. So he stipulates that he be buried only in everyday clothes. Alas, he forgot that a dentist who believed the man's public image had given him a free overhaul. And in the last scene, the apprentice is happily bashing out the gold teeth from the old man's corpse.


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* In ''ComicBook/SherlockHolmesAndTheHorrorOfFrankenstein'', Holmes is first alerted to the case when a string of grave robberies escalates to murder. He is further intrigued when he learns that all of the graves belonged to women of noble lineage, and that only the bodies were taken: leaving behind the valuables, and even the clothes the bodies were dressed in.

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* The ''Music/CreatureFeature'' song ''Grave Robber At Large'' is about Grave Robbing. [[CaptainObvious Obviously]].

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* The ''Music/CreatureFeature'' song ''Grave Robber At Large'' is about Grave Robbing. Robbing [[CaptainObvious Obviously]].Obviously]].
* Music/{{Macabre}}'s "Burke and Hare" begins with the two villains starting off as this, then move on to [[SerialKiller living bodies]].
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** Literature/HerbertWestReanimator frequently resorts to this in order to acquire subjects for his experiments.

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