Let's try this again.......hope it readable this time! Barbara in Wilmington, NC Cemetery desecrated Monday, October 10, 2005 By SANDRA JOHNSON-BOHANNAN Staff Writer BRIDGETON -- Between 100 and 150 headstones were vandalized at Broad Street Cemetery sometime this week, police said. Ptl. John Grier III was patrolling the area Sunday when he discovered a large number of stones toppled over in the center of the cemetery by the church, according to Lt. Carl Crispin of Bridgeton Police Dept. The vandalism likely occurred recently, within the last few days, Crispin said. They have no leads at this time, he said. Crispin was not happy about the crime. "I'm a little upset about it," he said. "There's a lot of history up there." said. They have no leads at this time, he said. Crispin was not happy about the crime. "I'm a little upset about it," he said. "There's a lot of history up there." John Ewing, Bridgeton's City Council president, is also upset, and wants to step up patrols in the area. "I think it's a disgrace," he said. "It's very upsetting. It's horrible to desecrate grave sites." He's planning to discuss it with Mayor Michael Pirolli and Chief Jeffrey Wentz tomorrow. Ewing hopes that the suspects, if found, are prosecuted accordingly. After the hard work volunteers did recently to clean up the cemetery, Ewing was disgusted at the blatant vandalism. "To do that kind of damage for some sick enjoyment is just awful," he added.

That's just horrible! I thought that vandalism in cemeteries there was a thing of the past. I went to the Pearl Street Baptist Cemetery.. it's in terrible shape.. what hasn't been vandalized has been overrown. It needs a cleanup, too. In the spring, I'm going to go dig out my 3rd great grandparents' stones and their son and maybe their daughter's stones, not sure if she's there or not.. but the vandals toppled them, I found the base, but didn't want to dig it out 2 weeks ago as I felt it'd be better to wait until spring.. and perhaps when I find someone with a shovel or who can call 911 when I the stone it ontop of myself :) I would like to help fix the Broad Street Cemetery, I'm sure I have great^n grandparents or aunts/uncles there. Let me know if they have a volunteer meeting or something. I'd also like to learn about cemetery restoration so I can fix my family's stones in Pearl Street without damaging them (further). My cousins and I might just end up buying them a new un-topplable stone to put next the damaged one, but that wouldn't be for many years. So very sad. -andrea On 10/10/05, Barbara McCormick <[email protected]> wrote: > Let's try this again.......hope it readable this time! > > Barbara > in Wilmington, NC > > Cemetery desecrated > Monday, October 10, 2005 > By SANDRA JOHNSON-BOHANNAN > Staff Writer > BRIDGETON -- Between 100 and 150 headstones were vandalized at Broad Street Cemetery sometime this week, police said.<snip>