N.L. cemetery hit by vandals again

Police in Grand Falls-Windsor in central Newfoundland continue to investigate vandalism in a local graveyard where about three dozen gravestones were toppled.

On Thursday, members of the committee that looks after thegraveyard in the large, interfaith cemetery near the Trans-Canada Highwaywere assessing the damage done over the weekend.

The Grand Falls-Windsor Interfaith Cemetery Committee said there has been vandalism throughout the summer, but not to the extent seen recently.

Hubert Sutton, chair of the committee, said the problem with vandalism in the cemetery seems to be getting worse.

"There must be something wrong with people to do it, either be drunk or on drugs or something," Sutton said.

The group is now talking about putting some kind of security in place so it doesn't happen again a move that satisfies some of the families affected by the damage.

Margaret Rose Coffin visits her parents' gravesite nearly every second day and said she's hurt and furious that their large, granite headstone was one of the dozens cracked off its base.

"You spend money to keep your loved ones' grave up and what do you get? Very disrespectful," she said.

Sharad Mandavia said his in-laws' grave has been damaged twice this summer.

"We should put money to cameras on top of the posts so they can record any activity going on and anyone who's doing the damage will be caught on live camera," Mandavia said.

Bill Higgins was at the cemetery this week repairing some of the headstones damaged by the vandals. He said he is frustrated trying to understand who would damage graves and why.

"Could blame it on upbringing or blame it on no place for the kids to go or nothing better to do basically," Higgins said. "A lot of disrespect and no respect for the dead."

The RCMP say they are continuing to investigate the latest incidence of vandalism in the cemetery.