Vandals who trashed a 200-year-old North Fulton cemetery left evidence behind—two shovels and an empty bag of potato chips, police said on Thursday.
Headstones were knocked over and a coffin was left exposed at the Power Family Cemetery, which is located behind the Dunwoody Point Apartments, according to a Sandy Springs incident report.
John Morris, a maintenance worker for the Dunwoody Point apartment complex, found the damage last Wednesday, Channel 2 said. He called 911 and recorded the damage he found using his cell phone camera.
“It disgusts me. And [I’m] angry that someone would go in and desecrate a cemetery like that,” Marie Power Frazier told Channel 2 Action News. “You’re supposed to respect the dead.”
Many of Power Frazier’s family members are buried in the cemetery, according to Channel 2.
“My grandfather was buried in 1915 and my dad took it over,” she said.
Frazier told the station that she hopes police catch those responsible. She also told them it wasn’t the first time the cemetery was vandalized. “They’ve broken in, they have burned things. There’s been trash, beer cans where they had parties,” she said.
Sandy Springs detectives shoveled the dirt back onto the grave that was dug up, Channel 2 said.
“They were glad to do that, offered to do it as a matter of fact,” Sgt. Ron Mormon spokesman for Sandy Springs police told the station.
Police told Channel 2 that they hope to recover fingerprints from the shovels and empty potato chip bag left at the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to call Sandy Springs detectives at (770) 551-6900 or to submit tips to Atlanta Crimestoppers.
Crimestoppers tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.
