CHINA — Town officials are investigating vandalism to several gravestones found at the municipally owned Pleasant View Ridge Cemetery earlier this week.
Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux said the town was notified of the vandalism, which included vulgar and obscene words spray painted on the back of eight headstones, by a maintenance worker when he arrived at the the town-owned cemetery on Tuesday.
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“We’re currently investigating it,” L’Heureux said, adding that the town police officer was notified and is writing a report to send to the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office.
L’Heureux said the town is already in the process of getting the headstones repaired and has reported the damage to its insurance company. A money figure for the cost of fixing the damage was not immediately available Thursday.
“It’s not that common and it seems arbitrary,” L’Heureux said.
The vandalism could have been committed any time within the past three weeks or ever since the last time the area was mowed, L’Heureux said.
Profanities were spray-painted on the backs of several stones, while other had messages like “No Heaven,” “The Devil is Watching” and “Lucifer is Watching.”
Many of the headstones damaged in the vandalism were more than 100 years old, with one citing an 1867 burial.
The small cemetery off Pleasant View Ridge Road is still in active use with plots in the cemetery still being offered for sale.
Jesse Scardina — 861-9239
Twitter: @jessescardina
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