Cemetery vandalism investigation continues
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - A town offi- cial speaking on the condition of anonymity said the police have identified the vandals responsible for knocking over about 65 gravestones last month at the Howard Street Cemetery.

"The police know who did it, they just can't prove it yet," the source said.

While the police investigation into the vandalism - which was discovered at 6:30 a.m. July 16 - continues, representatives from Empire Granite Co. of Worcester have completed repairs to the damaged gravestones, many of which were knocked off their foundations or ripped out of the ground altogether.

"Workers from Empire Granite came in, stood up the gravestones and re-cemented them in place," Northborough Public Works Director Kara Buzanoski said. "It took about three days to make all the repairs."

Buzanoski, who said it cost $7,200 to repair the vandalism, confirmed that the town has submitted a claim for the repairs to its insurance company, but if the company rejects the claim the money would come out of the town's operating budget for the Cemetery Department.

The majority of the gravestones that were overturned were located in the middle of the cemetery, many within view of the street, right across from the Marion E. Zeh School. Some of the gravestones damaged date back to the 1800s. Vandalism of gravestones also occurred in the new section of the cemetery, which runs alongside Whitney Street.

Last month's vandalism was the first at the Howard Street Cemetery - which is not secured at night - since the early 1970s, when more than 50 gravestones were overturned.