Queensland Police have arrested three teenage boys following the alleged wilful damage of gravesites in Toowoomba over the weekend.
It is alleged approximately 100 headstones were knocked over at a cemetery on South Street, Harristown overnight between August 9 and August 10.
A 15-year-old Harristown boy, a 15-year-old Newtown boy and a 17-year-old Highfields boy have all been dealt with under provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
“Police would like to thank members of the community for their assistance,” Queensland Police said in a statement.
Toowoomba Region Mayor, Geoff McDonald, condemned the cemetery attack.
“What occurred at Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery on Friday night August 9 is simply disgraceful, disappointing and disgusting,” Mayor McDonald said.
“Such criminal acts of disrespect not only undermine the sanctity of a place meant for remembrance and reflection, but also inflict deep emotional pain on the families of those interred.
“Memorial headstones serve as a tribute to loved ones, and their destruction is an affront to the memories they represent.”
Mayor McDonald said Council was also undertaking clean up and assessment of the damage.
“Council teams are initially focussed on making safe any structurally unsound monuments, compiling a list of damaged memorials and artefacts including photos, working with our software provider to determine the best way of tracking and recording information relevant to the damage and working with local stone masons on the best approach to managing on site issues.”
“Council will also, in time, attempt to contact rights holders and families of sites where damage has occurred. A catalogue of damaged sites will also be compiled on Council’s web site.
“At this time, rather than calling Council to ask about a loved one’s grave site, it is preferable that customers attend the cemetery in person to check on sites. It is asked though that they do not touch anything due to safety issues and also if the police require further follow up,” he said.
