Three teens arrested 'for destroying nearly 100 gravestones at Jewish cemeteries'



Three Connecticut teenagers were arrested over the weekend for allegedly vandalizing nearly 100 Jewish gravestones at local cemeteries last month.

Hartford police who have been investigating the case since mid-October made the arrests after receiving a tip that the perpetrators allegedly responsible for the destruction were living in the neighborhood.

‘They basically attacked the defenseless and the emotions of those survivors,’ Leonard Holtz with Congregation Ados Israel told NBC Connecticut . '(The arrests) don't lessen the pain for people who have had their monuments desecrated.'

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Desecrated: Dozens of headstones are still lying in ruins at the Tower Avenue Jewish Cemeteries in Hartford the after the October vandalism

Sad sight: The vandalism was reported October 19 by a father who was visiting his son's grave site

Costly damage: Repairing the toppled headstones will likely cost the cemetery more than $20,000

Dozens of headstones are still lying in ruins at the Tower Avenue Jewish Cemeteries, and it will take more than $20,000 to repair the damage, according to the superintendent of the cemetery. Most of the headstones that were overturned were secured to their bases.

While police have increased patrols in the area and Holtz has been locking the gates at the cemetery to keep intruders out, he said that grieving relatives visiting their deceased loved ones still feel uneasy.

'It has taken away the feeling that you can go here with peace of mind,' Holtz said.

At first, police investigated the vandalism as a hate crime, but after questioning the teenaged suspects, investigators said this was no longer the issue.



Not a hate crime? Police believe the teens caused the damage while cutting through the cemetery on their way to a park

Precautions: Police increased patrols around the cemetery, left, and the gates of the burial ground are now being closed at night to ward off vandals



The suspects, who are between 14 and 15 years old, were each charged with interfering with a cemetery or burial ground and criminal mischief, both juvenile offenses. Each of the three youths was issued a summons and referred to a juvenile court, according to the Hartford Courant.

The names of the three teens are not being revealed because they are minors.

Police believe that the alleged vandals may have tipped over the headstones while using the sacred burial ground as a shortcut to a nearby park.

The toppled headstones were discovered and reported to police on October 19, but authorities believe the damage had been inflicted beginning October 12 or earlier.



Justice: The trio of suspects were charged with interfering with a cemetery and criminal mischief

Disturbed: While police say the vandalism was not an anti-Semitic act, relatives of those buried on the grounds of the cemetery were left feeling uneasy

The vandalism was discovered by a congregation member who regularly visits his son's grave.

Lisa Vaeth, director of the Association of Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Hartford, said the emotional damage of the ‘senseless’ act may affect families of those whose graves were desecrated for a lifetime.

She said the association also will have to consider investing in security that it cannot easily afford.

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