Nearly 600 grave markers have been stolen overnight from a historic cemetery in Compton and furious residents have slammed the local council for taking no action.
Thieves ransacked Woodlawn Celestial Gardens, which is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles and is the resting place for city founders and veterans from The Civil War.
Footage shows empty space and rubble where the headstones, made of bronze and copper, once stood. The stolen property is estimated to be worth more than $100,000 and it is believed the thieves plan to melt them down before selling it.
Celestina Bishop, who has owned the cemetery for four years, claimed only one council member got in touch with her about the theft and vandalism.
‘The man who founded Compton, the city that you represent and stand for,’ an emotional Bishop told CBS News. ‘Children are buried there.’
Nearly 600 grave markers have been stolen overnight from a historic cemetery in Compton and furious residents have slammed the local council for taking no action
Thieves ransacked Woodlawn Celestial Gardens, which is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles and is the resting place for city founders and veterans from The Civil War. Celestina Bishop, who has owned the cemetery for four years, claimed only one council member got in touch with her about the theft and vandalism
In the aftermath of the theft, a large amount of rubble was scattered across the ground where the headstones used to rest.
The thieves damaged the grass as they dug into the ground to steal plaques and there is plenty of empty space where the grave markers used to be.
Owner Bishop said the local council has a moral obligation to protect the cemetery.
‘None of the representatives other than Mr. Bauers has come to the cemetery to see if they can help with a resolution or if there’s any assistance,’ Bishop added.
Terrence Cumby, a concerned resident, spoke out at a council meeting on Tuesday.
‘I can’t take it anymore,’ he said before urging the council to take action and suggested cameras be set up to help with security.
‘When we had the takeovers coming, nothing was done. Gives other people the bright idea to come.’
Police are investigating the thefts, though no arrests have been made.
A week after the thefts at Woodlawn Celestial Gardens, another Compton cemetery was ransacked and had headstones stolen.
Thieves targeted Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery and caused thousands of dollars worth of damage
The thieves used a material to find out whether the monument was bronze and tried to saw it off before bending back the plaque
Aisha Woods helped clean the site up after it was left in a terrible state by the vandals
Thieves targeted Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery and caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Aisha Woods helped clean the site up after it was left in a terrible state by the vandals.
They stole the plaque of boxer Joe Louis that was dedicated to World War II soldiers and damaged one for President Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to remove it from the monument.
The thieves used a material to find out whether the monument was bronze and tried to saw it off before bending back the plaque.
‘I was understandably pissed, very, very upset,’ Woods said. ‘They’re sick. They’re totally sick … We really gotta find these creeps.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Compton City Council for comment.