The local NBC news station (WFIE Ch 14) just ran a story about vandals turning over hundreds of markers in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Chesterton IN. The story said many of the stones are damaged or destroyed. Anyone on here in that area?

Two Chesterton residents were taken into custody on Wednesday and a third was today in connection with the vandalism of St. Patrick Catholic Church Cemetery and the spree of thefts in the neighborhood of Bailly Elementary School early Monday morning. Robert Morris, 18, has been charged with cemetery mischief, a Class D felony. He has also been charged with possession of stolen property in an unrelated case from October and use of a stolen credit card. Morris was in custody at Porter County Jail. A 17-year-old boy is similarly facing a delinquency charge of cemetery mischief and an additional charge of theft after Chesterton Police said that he stole a statue of the Virgin Mary from a grave site. He was detained at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center. A second 17-year-old boy is facing a delinquency charge of cemetery mischief as well. He was taken into custody late this morning and was to have been transported to JDC. Det. Lt. Dave Cincoski of the CPD told the Chesterton Tribune today that the break in the case came on Wednesday when Morris-whom Cincoski had been looking to interview in connection with several other cases and whom he found staying at an apartment at Barrington Bridge, immediately south of the cemetery on South Calumet Road-confessed his involvement both in the cemetery vandalism and in the theft spree. Cincoski said that Morris also implicated the two juveniles. In addition to recovering from Morris' residence a radio taken from Sixth Street in a previous theft, Cincoski said, he recovered as well at least two items removed early Monday morning from a vehicle parked in the 700 block of Taft Street: a cowboy hat and a digital camera. Morris has not yet been charged in connection with the theft spree, Cincoski said, but "charges are forthcoming." Meanwhile, when taken into custody the first 17-year-old boy admitted to removing the statue of the Virgin Mary and carrying it home, Cincoski said, and that statue was recovered at the boy's residence. According to Morris' account, Cincoski said, the three of them vandalized the cemetery prior to the theft spree. They apparently had no particular motivation, Cincoski added. "Just because they wanted to. It was on their way to where they were traveling on foot." At least 40 monuments and headstones were toppled to the ground at the cemetery and an initial estimate put damage at $10,000. Porter County Crime Stoppers made the vandalism its Crime of the Week and rewards totaling $2,000 were offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Posted 1/19/2006

With an estimate of 100,000 cemeteries in Indiana, getting them registered is a daunting task. Jeannie Regan-Dinius, Special Projects Coordinator for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, is charged with just that task under the Indiana General Cemetery Act. Based in Indianapolis, she is gathering information on any property in the state on which human remains are buried. This includes cemeteries of any size regardless of ownership of the property. She visited the Duneland Historical Society on Thursday, May 15 and told of her work and how the public can help. State law governs cemeteries and with the Cemetery Registry under the IDNR, policing is done by conservation officers. Regan-Dinius encourages the public to alert her office in case of disturbance, vandalism or looting in cemeteries. In a recent case a woman called to report that her neighbor had removed gravestones for a construction project. Vandalism is a major problem with Indiana Cemeteries and a variety of state laws now protect cemeteries. She said cemeteries in Indiana contain many art works and are helpful sources of information for genealogists. Planned construction within 100 feet of cemetery property must be reported and approved in advance. In order to visit a cemetery which is reached through private property, permission must be granted by the property owner. When questioned about unused plots, she said unless it is specified in the deed the plot cannot be re-sold without the permission of the owner or his or her heirs. In the case of the Chesterton Cemetery, the deeds say that a plot can be re-sold after 100 years if not used. She was asked about rubbings of grave markers. She said this is not illegal but rubbings do damage the stones. Regan-Dinius says many cemeteries in Porter County are listed but she welcomes information from citizens. The Duneland Historical Society invites anyone knowing of a small cemetery in Porter county to call with the name and location and the DHS will work with Regan-Dinius to be sure it is listed. Call Betty Canright, 926-3231. Posted 5/19/2003