Police say 157-year-old Ohio cemetery vandalized

CINCINNATI (AP) — Police say vandals caused at least $250,000 in damage to more than 30 monuments in a Cincinnati cemetery that includes the graves of several of the city’s first Roman Catholic bishops.

Cincinnati police say the vandalism at the 157-year-old St. Joseph New Cemetery occurred between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday. None of the bishops’ graves were vandalized.

Authorities say it was the second time in a month vandalism was reported there.

Cemetery officials say some monuments were tipped over mostly in an older Irish section and headstones were damaged. They suspect teenagers caused the damage and have asked police to step up patrols of the area.

The original St. Joseph cemetery was bought by Archbishop John Purcell in 1842.