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Vandals Destroy Headstones At Tracy Cemetery

TRACY (CBS13) - Dozens of grave sites were vandalized at the Tracy Public Cemetery, and one massive headstone was kicked down.

It appears vandals used heavy rocks to knock out security lights before damaging graves at the cemetery on East Schulte Road.

A footprint was left behind on a headstone by a vandal.

"They are pretty darn sick," said Cemetery Director Gene Birk.

At least one person kicked over a large tombstone overnight Tuesday.

"It's just unbelievable that somebody could be that mean to somebody else's mom, dad, brother, sister, whoever, you know?" said Birk.

Maintenance workers discovered the damage in all 40 graves.

Vases were ripped out, flowers strewn across burial sites, and someone catapulted a large rock through the office window.

"What satisfaction did they get out of it? How could you get any satisfaction out of destroying a person's grave site?" said Birk.

In the past, the final resting place has been off limits to vandals.

"I cannot imagine – there's just no reason I can imagine that someone could be that mean," said Birk.

Crews did what they could to fix the damage, but in the end, grieving families are the ones who will be forced to foot the bill to repair the destruction vandals left behind.

"Anybody that would do something like this, I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to meet you. You've done something pretty doggone rotten," said Birk.

The cemetery board is meeting Thursday night to examine security measures. Police are investigating, and the cemetery hopes someone comes forward with tips.

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