Robbers Open Grave in Vain Search for Jewelry : Crime: The diggers stop at an empty vault reserved for the mother of a suspected drug dealer, who is buried underneath. Some say his casket contains valuables.

Would-be robbers attempted to dig up the body of a suspected drug dealer who was believed to be entombed with a jewel-studded watch and pistol, but apparently stopped their excavation before reaching the deeply buried casket, authorities said Tuesday.

The desecrated grave of Robert R. Hagen was discovered Monday at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, but investigators remain puzzled by the bizarre crime. No arrests have been made.

“In my opinion, he was not buried with anything of enough value to warrant this,” said Los Angeles Police Detective Marvin Engquist, who is conducting the investigation into Hagen’s slaying.

Hagen, 25, was shot to death July 24 after a hearing at the Van Nuys courthouse, where he was facing four charges of arson. He was gunned down in his customized Mercedes-Benz and the killing remains unsolved. Police said he had long been suspected of being a drug dealer, though he was never charged with that crime.

Paul Neville, manager of the funeral home and cemetery, said Hagen was buried with an unusual amount of jewelry, including several rings and a pistol and watch that were encrusted with jewels. However, Hagen’s mother disputed that Tuesday, saying that her son was buried with an earring, one ring, two bracelets and a pistol that was a collector’s item but had no jewels.

“It was all sentimental value--that’s all,” said the mother, who asked not to be identified.

Hagen’s casket was buried in a concrete vault nine feet below ground, Neville said. Another concrete vault was placed on top of it and left empty. It is to be used when Hagen’s mother dies, he said.

Sheriff’s investigators said the grave robbers dug down to the first vault and gave up after finding it empty. The robbers fled, leaving behind a shovel, pick, gloves and surgical masks.

“They came across the top vault and there is nothing in it,” said Lt. Harvey Cantor of the Sheriff’s Department. “The person they were looking for was underneath--it’s like a stack.”

Neville said the grave has been refilled. He added that the dead man’s family has requested that a layer of concrete be poured over Hagen’s vault to ensure that vandals cannot break into it.