Whitney Houston's family fighting to stave off grave robbers

London, April 30 (ANI): Whitney Houston' family is planning to encase her body in concrete to stop ghouls stealing 500,000 pounds of jewellery being buried with her.

Her mum Cissy and other relatives have agreed to the move, which copies what King of Pop Michael Jackson's family did after he was laid to rest in 2009.

Since the death of the singer in February, private security guards have been keeping watch over her plot at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey.

But a close family source confirmed: "Cissy can't afford to keep paying guards forever. A concrete encasement is the only answer," the Daily Star reported.

"It is a sensible move. It makes robbery virtually impossible. It would take a long time to get through, even with a pneumatic drill," said a burial expert at Hollywood Forever, which holds the remains of scores of Tinseltown stars.

Houston, who died aged 48, was buried with a diamond brooch and earrings and several other costly items. (ANI)