NYPD: Teen Vandals Knock Over, Spray-Paint Headstones At Brooklyn Cemetery
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is trying to identify three teens who they say vandalized a Brooklyn cemetery.
It happened early Tuesday morning at the Cypress Hills Cemetery on Jamaica Avenue.
Police said the teens damaged more than 40 headstones by knocking them over and spray-painting "derogatory words," including anti-Asian slurs. They also broke into the memorial Abbey mausoleum and damaged marble stones in front of about 15 vaults, according to police.
The headstones have been mostly repaired, but cemetery spokesperson Stacey Cullen said security has been increased.
"It has been heightened. We're on 24-hour surveillance now and we have security here, they're usually here from 6 in the morning until 8 at night, so now we've changed that," she told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.
The trio, who police say are between the ages of 16 and 19, were seen on surveillance video taking selfies inside the cemetery.
"The fact that they were older teens, they've had a lot of life experience so this was hatred in them," said a resident who lives near the gates of the cemetery.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.