grave robbing

noun, the act of digging up a grave to steal the body or items buried with the body; see also grave robber

“When she died, they buried her outside the house for so long before they’d bury her in the cemetery, because there was a lot of grave robbing in those days.”

“He said grave robbing was a going concern there.”

“Well, see, when the students were going through for doctors, those days they had to have their own cadaver. And it was pretty pricey, so that’s why there was so much grave robbing because they couldn’t afford to get the cadavers. They’d steal the bodies from the graves.”