23 Nov 2010

Auckland graves desecrated by vandals

3:35 pm on 23 November 2010

Vandals have caused about $300,000 of damage at one of the New Zealand's biggest cemeteries.

Auckland Council says people who live nearby to the Waikumete cemetery in west Auckland were alerted to a large number of young people going into the grounds on Saturday night and smashing up graves.

The manager for the cemetery, Daniel Sales, says 87 headstones have been damaged or pushed over.

Iron railings used to adorn old graves were used to smash the headstones, some of which are likely to be beyond repair, he says.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says the attack is an outrage and one of the worst acts of vandalism at the cemetery.

Police are investigating.