SHAMOKIN - Andy Garancosky, volunteer care-taker for the Shamokin Cemetery, notified city police Monday morning that someone had vandalized several tombstones. Garancosky noticed the damage while preparing for this weekend's cemetery tours during the Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts.
One of the oldest sections of the cemetery had numerous tombstones knocked over; some had tumbled down the hill and another was torn out of the ground.
Each stone weighed several hundred pounds and required a group effort just to be moved.
"This is the worst damage ever done in the cemetery," said Garancosky.
He said the damage was probably done over the weekend, and repairs could cost thousands of dollars.