Police are continuing to hunt for vandals who smashed graves including babies ones at Chatham cemetery.

Mourners were left shocked and stunned as well as devastated last week when the graves were attacked at the burial site in Maidstone Road last Monday night.

Headstones were broken and ornaments left by loved ones were thrown and smashed.
The yobs went rampage in the children’s section of the site, tearing up flowers and setting light to them and to cuddly toys left on babies’ graves.

Police have been conducting inquiries in the area but no arrests have been made and they have renewed their appeal for information.

The desecration is said to be the worst the cemetery has seen. A woman who discovered her husband’s grave had been affected, said she spoke to staff who were doing their best to clear up the damaged items to try and save what they could.

Alison Lovett was one of many who discovered her son’s grave had been damaged.
Alison, 36, from Chatham, lost her son, Shane, who was just seven months, in 1997.
She said: “They smashed his night lights and have tried to damage the headstone, a tortoise ornament, they’ve broke the little fence and the flowers have been ripped out.
“If I got hold of the people who did it – I would not be responsible for my actions. They are just sick and despicable.”

Richard Stoneman and his wife Tracey also found their son’s grave had been affected.
Richard, 49, from Bromley Close, Lordswood, told the Medway Messenger that a vase had been smashed on the grave an the flowers had been taken.

Their son, their first child, died 25 years ago, when he was just 10 hours old.
The couple were very upset by the vandalism and since it was discovered Richard has had calls from family members in far-flung places who had read about what happened and call to offer their sympathy.

Mr Stoneman also thinks some sort of reward could be offered to catch the yobs.
He added: “Perhaps everyone who had a family member’s grave vandalised should put a bit of money in so we can generate a reward, I’d willingly put money into it.
“I mean, these people need to be caught, the police need information and offering a reward just might do that.

“The police visited us and said they were making house to house enquiries around the cemetery, my wife said the officers were very upset by what had happened.”
A spokesman for police in Medway said officers were still trying to trace family members of graves which had been vandalised and are still making enquiries and investigating the matter.

The cemetery is locked every night at about 7pm and opened again early in the morning.
The damage is thought to have been caused last Monday night June 17after the gates were closed.
Staff discovered the vandalism when they opened the site the following morning and a crash last week on Maidstone Road knocked down part of the cemetery wall but it is not known if the vandals got in that way.

Investigating officer PC Timothy Marshall condemned the actions of the yobs as senseless and despicable last week.

He is appealing for information and anyone who saw anything is urged to call police.
Call 101, quoting crime reference number XY/18563/13, alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.