Police step up patrols in hunt for cemetery vandals
Vandals have smashed windows, statues and plant containers in three separate incidents at a Bath cemetery.
Police are investigating the "disgraceful and mindless" crimes which took place over the summer at Haycombe Cemetery.
In the most recent attack, last Thursday, items from memorial stones in the Pergola Garden at the Whiteway cemetery were thrown into the pond, a statue was pushed off its concrete foundation and plant containers were smashed and dumped in the water.
There was a similar incident in the same garden area on August 24, while on August 29, the windows of the Tempetio – a small temple-shaped building built to house a book of remembrance – were smashed.
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Tracey Mock, bereavement services manager at the Bath and North East Somerset Council-run cemetery, appealed for anyone with information to go to the police.
She said: "This is completely unacceptable behaviour which spoils the environment of the cemetery for the people who come to remember their family and friends.
"The council is urging people with any information about who these reckless vandals are to contact the police.
"Our message to the perpetrators of this crime is to show some common decency and stop ruining Haycombe for others."
Police have now stepped up patrols in the area to try to catch the culprits.
Beat manager Sgt Chris Clarke said: "This is disgraceful and mindless vandalism.
"We are investigating and have increased patrols in and around the cemetery.
"We will be working with management there to improve security and to catch the offenders."
Anyone with information is asked to call Bath police on the non-emergency number 101.
Comments
by jezer
Saturday, September 15 2012, 9:31PM
“This is very distressing. All my relatives are at Haycombe, including my late wife. Why do these morons seem intent in destroying people's memories?”
by kimwoods
Friday, September 14 2012, 10:09AM
“i had my mum's stone put at haycombe cemetary in june and by the end of july it was completely destroyed,all her flowers were ripped apart and dumped on the top of the stone,her plaques and vases were smashed and piled on top and her cards from my children and garden tealight holders and candles were all piled on and urinated and defacated on.
I reported this to the police (who never ever bothered coming to see me) and also to Haycombe cemetary office staff, who told me it was probably birds!!! and there was nothing could do but suggested i either remove my mum's stone or patrol her grave several times a day!!.
I went back with my auntie a week later and we gave the names of the 2 people responsible who we knew had destroyed my mums resting place but they were not interested at all until my auntie said she was going to the chronicle as this whole situation and our treatment from the staff is disgusting and extremely distressful.
A few more times since i have gone to my mum's grave and again it has all been disrupted and unless animals have learned to stack flowers etc this has been done maliciously, and all the other graves round my mums have not been touched which leads us to believe its personal.
Haycombe really need to rethink their ideas people pay ALOT of money to lay their loved ones to rest in their grounds but at least they have cctv on their office! maybe just an idea with the thousands they take EVERYDAY a simple solution is to install cctv all over their grounds to protect those who are no longer here to protect their last resting place????”