44 Gravestones Vandalized in Westbrook

About 44 gravestones were vandalized in the Old Burying Ground in Westbrook and it will cost about $10,000 to repair the damage, according to the Westbrook Resident Troopers Office.

The cemetery on Old Clinton Road in the center of town is the oldest in Westbrook, with monuments dating back to the 1730s, according to Catherine Neidlinger Doane, who posted photos of the vandalism on the Westbrook Historical Society's Facebook page.

The vandalism likely happened between late Friday, the night before Halloween that is also known as Mischief Night, and early morning on Halloween, police said.

“That’s terrible. I can’t believe someone could come along and do something so sacrilegious. It’s hurtful. I just don’t understand it," Mary Jackson, of Westbrook, said.

About 44 headstones were vandalized, causing $10,000 in damage, police said.

“This is a little more than kids having fun. This is vandalism. You know, criminal. This is part of Westbrook’s history," Jonathan Hallisey, of Westbrook, said.

The headstone for a man named Nathan Post is missing, she said, and it's unclear if the vandals took it from the cemetery. She is working to find a specialist who works with older headstones and plans to head to the cemetery to take further inventory of the damage.

Other headstones vandalized include those of Jedediah Kelsey and Rev. James Murdock, Doane said on the historical society's Facebook page.

“It’s a shame what happened but let’s try to do what we can to put it back to the fine shape it deserves to be in," Kirk Jackson,

State police were called to the cemetery on Friday, but further information on the incident was not immediately available.

The Westbrook Resident's Troopers Office is investigating and asks the public to contact State Police Troop F in Westbrook with any information at 860-399-2100.

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