Vadalism scars Laconia's Union Cemetery

LACONIA — Police continue to investigate the vandalism at the Union Cemetery in the South End, where sometime overnight on July 12 to July 13 nearly 20 tombstones were either knocked over or pushed off their bases.

Police said the vandalism was reported by a cemetery employee at 7:20 a.m. on the next day.

According to John Perley, the president of the Union Cemetery Association, the vandalism occurred in one of the older sections of the cemetery and some of the markers dated back to the late 1800s.

He said the cemetery superintendent is working to identify the families but many of them may be too old and not have traceable relatives.

He said the superintendent is also working with Laconia Monument to assess the damage and determine how and if many of the markers can be repaired.

"Some of them appear to have been knocked over and may be able to be righted and fastened back on their bases," he said. "But others may be broken."

Perley said this is the second major criminal event in the cemetery this year. Early this spring, employees noticed that over the course of the winter someone or some people had stolen about 50 of the brass water nozzle heads from the tops of the spigots people use to water flowers placed on the grave sites.

"We couldn't even turn on the water supply until we fixed them," Perley said.

"It's a tough place to police. It's wide open," Perley said.

"I know people cut through there and many people go for walks in there," he continued.

He said the cemetery association has casualty insurance but the association hasn't decided yet if it will file a claim.

"We want to better understand how much it will cost before we contact them," he said.

Police said last Thursday and Friday were particularly busy days. Sgt. Gary Hubbard noted that on the same night police of the cemetery vandalism, police learned that at least five cars in the Dartmouth Street area of town had items stolen from them and many other people reported someone rifled through their cars looking for valuables.

"It appears they were going through every car they saw and was unlocked," Hubbard said.

He encouraged people not to leave valuables in their automobiles and to lock them, even when they are home.

Hubbard said police don't know if the vandalism and the car thefts are related but said if anyone has any information about either, they are encouraged to contact the Laconia Police at 524-5252 or the anonymous Greater Laconia Crime Line at 524-1717.

CAPTION: One row of cemetery markers was targeted by vandals some time hours between July 12 and July 13. the markers appear to have been pushed over or knocked off their bases. All of the markers were pushed in the same direction. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Gail Ober)