Headstones overturned at Northeast Philadelphia church cemetery

Headstones were found overturned at a Northeast Philadelphia church cemetery. The act is viewed as incredibly disrespectful and illegal.

John litzke was more than a little upset as he stood over the toppled gravestone of his grandparents and his aunt at the cemetery out back of the Memorial Church of St. Luke's Episcopal on Welsh Road. A few feet away, his parents headstones were also overturned.

Police say as many as 25 headstones were vandalized sometime Monday night behind the church which is more than 150 years old. Row-after-row of damaged grave markers could be seen as crime scene investigators looked for evidence that could lead them to the vandals.

"It's thousands and thousands of dollars to get them lifted and put back in place," Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum of Northeast Detectives told FOX 29.

St. Luke's is the fourth cemetery vandalized this year in Northeast Philly. More than 100 headstones were overturned at Mt. Carmel cemetery several months ago. That case remains unsolved despite a reward of over $100,000.

Police say this may have been the work of teenagers. Beer cans were found near some of the headstones. Investigators believe more than one person was involved.