An unusual story from America: A worker at a military cemetery is accused of helping himself to more than 150 granite gravestones in order to pave his home-made garage and shed.

It is not as bad as it sounds bercause the stones were cracked or damaged and had been replaced on the graves. The old stones were put to one side to be collected and crushed. It was these Kevin Maynard is accused of stealing as a result of Rhode Island State Police following up a tip-off in April.

The story appears on the ABC news website. Click here to go to it.

When they visited Maynard's Charlestown, Rhode Island, home they found the stones being used as flooring for two makeshift garages and a shed. They also found other gravestones on his property and a box of American flags allegedly stolen from the veteran's cemetery.

Maynard had apparently been removing worn or broken gravestones from the cemetery and taking them to his home since 2008 or 2009. Regulations say any government-issued gravemarkers remain government property in perpetuity.

Although Maynard could face 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and supervised release for three years, ABC says that, according to the plea agreement, the government will recommend he be given a year on probation with the special condition of completing at least 500 hours of community service.

The headstones that mark the graves at the Exeter cemetery all belong to US military servicemen. They are provided free of charge to families of veterans. Cracked or deteriorated stones are also replaced for free and the damaged ones are stacked in an area at the cemetery until they can be hauled away to be destroyed. It is some of these Maynard is accused of taking.