Police seek public's help in solving cemetery defacing incident

2002-08-01 / Front Page

After investigating vandalism at a West Babylon cemetery for two months and coming up short, Suffolk County Police are now asking for the public’s help in solving the crime.

Police said that on May 6, workers at St. Joseph’s R.C. Cemetery on Old Farmingdale Road, discovered that someone or several individuals had drawn anti-Semitic symbols, swastikas and anti-Christian writings on numerous headstones and statues with permanent marker. More than 200 headstones and statues were defaced between 6 p.m., May 5 and 9:35 a.m, May 6 according to Det. Sgt. Robert Reeks of the County’s Bias Crimes Unit.

"It appears as if they went down the center of the cemetery avoiding being noticed and drew the markings as they went along," said Reeks. "The markings were anti-everything."

Some of the markings have been cleaned off and none of the stones or statues were turned over or broken," said Reeks. There have been on repeat incidents since the May 5-6 vandalism.


Anyone who has information about the crime is being asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential and the caller will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Return to top