By Jaime North
MOORESBURG — The Rev. Allen Acor says today’s service at Mooresburg United Methodist Church will be filled with prayer as his congregation grapples with the sight of 38 toppled tombstones and eight spray-painted headstones.
In addition to the vandalism at the rural church cemetery in Valley Township, up to 20 tombstones were knocked over at the Odd Fellows, St. Joseph and Reform churches’ cemetery behind East End Fire Company in Mahoning Township.
The Montour County incidents occurred either late Thursday or early Friday.
Investigators said Saturday the crimes may have been committed by the same group of vandals.
Mahoning Township police were not able to provide damage estimates Saturday.
“These are felony charges,” said Trooper J.J. Sovic, of state police at Milton. “This was more than likely done by more than one person.”
Sovic said the vandalism along Sholes Road in Mooresburg was done sometime between 7 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Friday, while Mahoning Township police said the attack on the Bloom Road cemetery occurred between 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday morning. Investigators began exchanging information Saturday to develop more leads.
Meanwhile, Acor said his church was still in shock as news spread through the congregation Friday about the massive vandalism, which included profanity, atheist messages and swastikas spray-painted on eight headstones.
Nearly 40 tombstones, some dating to the 1800s, were knocked over and damaged.
“Apparently whoever did it have never been inside a church,” said Acor, adding the suspects must have left in a vehicle because of tire tracks left in a field behind the cemetery. “It’s such a shame. They probably don’t even understand what they’re doing.”
Acor said he wasn’t sure whether the church’s insurance would cover the damage but suspects it won’t, since cemeteries are normally run by a separate board of directors.
Charles Haney III, scout leader for Boy Scout Troop 37 of Mooresburg, said his boys are ready to help the church in any way they can. Haney’s group, which meets at the church, discovered the vandalism just before 5 p.m. Friday when they arrived before heading to Camp Lavigne in preparation for the first day of trout fishing season.
“It was very disturbing, really sad to think about it,” Haney said. “You would never think that a fellow human being would be capable of doing something like this. It’s very disrespectful.”
Anyone with information on either cemetery vandalism can call state police at 524-2662 or Mahoning Township police at 275-5611.
-- E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
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You can help
Donations can be made to:
Mooresburg United Methodist Church cemetery
7 Sholes Road, Danville, PA 17821
Or you can contact Fred Stevens, cemetery treasurer, at 275-7701.
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