Vandals Seriously Damage Historic Monmouth Cemetery

Investigators hope someone can help identify who damaged these family grave sites.

Image of cemetery courtesy: Google Earth

(MONMOUTH, Ore.) - Graveyard vandals struck a historic Polk County cemetery, a resting place for the ancestors of numerous local families, in the days preceding Christmas.

The ultimate insult to the dead as well as their living relatives, these so far unidentified vandals caused serious damage which in some cases, when it comes to cemetery vandalism, is irreversible.

Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies took the vandalism report at the Fircrest Cemetery Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009.

The Fircrest Cenetery is located just south of Monmouth on Helmick road.

Sergeant Dustin Newman with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, says one or more unknown suspects tipped over 34 memorial stones and in doing so damaged some of the memorials.

The secretary for the cemetery maintenance district estimated the damage at $15,000 dollars.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office, their phone number is (503) 623-9251.