McHenry gravestone wreckers busted

A homeowner's tip has led to the arrest of three McHenry area teenagers accused of damaging dozens of tombstones during a cemetery vandalism spree Halloween night.

A 16-year-old boy has been transported to a juvenile detention center in St. Charles, while a 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy have been released into the custody of their parents, said McHenry Police Deputy Chief Robert Lumber.

The three face numerous counts of criminal damage to property and trespassing, Lumber said.

The first two teens were arrested before 9 p.m. Wednesday, Lumber said. The third was arrested at about 11:30 p.m., he said

Police are withholding the names of the three due to their ages, Lumber said.

Lumber said police were “extremely appreciative” to a homeowner who phoned in a tip Tuesday that led to the arrests of the three.

Lumber said about 50 headstones were pushed and pulled over in Woodland and St. Mary's cemeteries, near the intersection of Richmond Road and Maple Avenue, on Sunday. Many of the gravestones  some dating to the 1800s  were destroyed when they were pushed over. Some, though are salvageable, he said.

“Most of the gravestones were top heavy and were pushed over when the three rocked them back and forth,” Lumber said.

“They didn't pick them up and carry them or anything like that. They rocked the stones back and forth until they toppled over.”

Police can now completely focus their efforts on trying to find the vandals who damaged roughly 180 cars earlier this week, Lumber said.

He said the three arrested Wednesday for the gravestone case are not under suspicion for vandalizing the cars earlier this week. He said the two incidents are separate and unrelated.