Vandals destroy headstones and steal plaques from graves at a Compton cemeteries

By Gio Insignares

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    COMPTON (KCAL, KCBS) — It’s been an emotionally draining day at Woodlawn Celestial Gardens.

“This is crazy,” said owner Celestina Bishop.

Bishop is once again dealing with vandals targeting headstones. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene this evening to take note of the situation.

“It doesn’t ease the hurt, but I’m glad they showed up,” Bishop said.

Bishop said security cameras captured someone on the grounds last night. At one point, the person was seemingly squatting down for something. The following day, Bishop and her family found a pile of headstones dug up from the ground and sitting along the fence as if they had piled up the debris to be taken away.

“I wish they would leave us alone,” she said. “Please leave us alone.”

Bishop and her husband believe the suspect was the same suspect seen across the street at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery last night.

Aisha Woods, a community volunteer, said a worker opened up this morning to find damage to the mausoleum and the plaques removed from their spots.

“This is like opening a new wound, over and over again, because we don’t even know what’s the cause,” Woods said. “Why are you hitting our cemeteries?”

Unfortunately, Lincoln Memorial Park has faced this type of crime before.

Earlier this year, a thief stole more than 100 bronze name plaques from the cemetery. At the neighboring Woodlawn, suspects destroyed dozens of headstones and stole multiple plaques as well. They believe the thieves are taking the bronze and pawning it off to resellers or recycling companies.

“I want people to be mindful, especially the victimizer; this could be your family,” Bishop said. “How would you feel if someone did this to your family, your mother, your sister, your father?”

Despite pieces of families’ legacies ripped from their final resting place and the mess they have to clean up, Bishop and Woods said this only encouraged them to fight through the pain and build up their communities.

“I’m more of a challenge person,” Woods said. “This is when I’m going to keep fighting. It ain’t over for me.”

The hope moving forward is that someone recognizes the person in the security footage and calls the police.

In the meantime, Woods and Bishop said they plan to clean up and contact the families of the damaged headstones and plaques.

“This has always been my mama’s house,” Bishop said. “One day, it’ll be my house, too. I’m going to get buried here.”

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