CCTV footage has revealed a man "tampering" with numerous graves at a south Auckland cemetery the night before at least 30 were found destroyed or damaged, police say.
Flowers and crosses of deceased children had been strewn across the lawn at Papakura Cemetery, to the dismay of families who had gathered at the sites this morning.
Inspector Mark Rowbottom says the man seen on the CCTV footage spent three hours in the cemetery on Saturday night, "tampering with numerous memorials".
"We believe that there is a lone person responsible for the damage, and he is seen on CCTV exhibiting some strange behaviour," he says.
"At various times through the night, cars have driven past the man and he has made no attempt to hide from vehicle headlights."
Vicki Bates, whose daughter Madison's grave was among the damaged, says she doesn't understand how someone could do this.
"I don't know how someone can live with themselves. [The babies] have done nothing to them, so how can you hurt someone like that?"
Tomorrow would have been Madison's 15th birthday.
"All the families that are grieving… it's hard enough to deal with it every time their birthday comes along – let alone if I had come here tomorrow, on her birthday, and found that – that would have been 10 times worse," she says.
"Now we're going to deal with it. The community's getting together and they're going to help restore all of the graves."
Auckland Council, which is responsible for the graves, earlier rejected accusations its contractors were responsible for the damage.
Cemeteries manager Catherine Moore says the council was informed yesterday afternoon and the damage looks to be to the work of vandals.
"The police are investigating so we will assist the police with their inquiries to find out what's happened here, but mainly we're here to support the families and to put a plan in place to put things back to right."
Ms Moore says through analysing cemetery records, council staff will be able to match up the crosses and any other named adornments with the graces they belong with.
"We'll work with families to try and identify the other decorations, and if we can identify which grave they belong to," she says.
"In the meantime, we'll probably put them into storage somewhere if we can't immediately identify where they should go."
Speaking to RadioLIVE this afternoon, Ms Collins – the local Papakura MP - says it's the worst behaviour she has seen in her time as an MP.
"To actually go out there and desecrate the memories of parents whose babies have died, would have to be right up there with the worst behaviour."
Ms Collins is calling on those responsible to come forward and hand themselves in.
"The people we're talking about are not intelligent, clever people. They're particularly stupid, as well as deviant. And I'm sure the police will have a very good idea what sort of mentality could bring this about."
Ms Collins said it would be sad if CCTV cameras had to be put up in cemeteries to deter such behaviour.
Insp Rowbottom says police will now be conducting inquiries in an attempt to identify the man, and officers will also be increasing patrols in the area around and within the cemetery.
Concerned families are asked to contact the council's call centre on (09) 301 0101 with their details.
3 News
source: newshub archive
