Compton cemetery vandalized, reward offered for info leading to suspects

COMPTON, Calif. - It's been over two months since the Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in Compton were vandalized. Law enforcement is still searching for the suspects responsible.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a reward of $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the vandalism and theft.

Cemetery vandals targeting tombstones

Thieves in Compton have reached a new low: stealing copper and bronze from the cemetery.

On January 6, vandals broke into the non-operating cemetery that houses historically important graves, from the families of Compton founders, to veterans going back to the Civil War and destroyed grave markers, stealing the copper and bronze plaques from at least a hundred of them.

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Historic Compton cemetery vandalized

Carson cemetery robbed of gravestones a week after similar crime in Compton

About a week later, a similar crime occurred at Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson.

There, about a hundred bronze name plates were pried off mausoleum graves, along with a large plaque commemorating WWII African American veterans, which was donated by famed boxer Joe Lewis, in the '40’s.

Lincoln Memorial Park was one of the first integrated cemeteries in Los Angeles County. Whoever is responsible, left tools next to the large bust of President Lincoln, which towers over the veteran's memorial.

Cemetery vandals strike again

Thieves took more than 100 copper nameplates from graves at a Carson cemetery, just days after a similar scene at a Compton cemetery just across the street.

It seems that the thieves are after anything bronze, which they could be pawning off to resellers or recycling companies.

The suspects from both crimes are outstanding. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau at (562)946-7893.