65 Tombstones Toppled at Santa Ana’s Oldest Graveyard : Six Arrested in Cemetery Vandalism

Police have arrested six youths, all members of a punk rock group, on suspicion of damaging or destroying 65 tombstones two weeks ago at Santa Ana’s oldest cemetery, a police spokesman said Friday.

Santa Ana Police Lt. Robert Chavez said the six, all males between 15 and 17 years old, were arrested at their high schools Thursday. They were booked on suspicion of trespassing and vandalism and released to the custody of their parents.

Chavez said the case has been referred to the district attorney’s office, which is expected to decide next week whether to file charges.

The police spokesman said the arrests came after a detective talked to a caretaker, who was not identified, and a teen-ager who regularly rides his bicycle in the county-owned cemetery at 1919 E. Santa Clara Ave.

“The questioning of that juvenile was the key to the investigation. It mushroomed from there,” Chavez said.

According to witnesses, Chavez said, the youths frequently “hung out” at the cemetery.

On the night of Sept. 14, he said, “These juveniles were drinking and just got a little overzealous.”

Some of the tombstones, which were toppled, dated back to the 1860s. Twenty of the tombstones, some of which were tall and elaborate marble markers, were destroyed, he said.

The youths were arrested at Foothill and Hillview high schools, both in Santa Ana, and at Tustin High School. Chavez said they belong to a punk rock group, which he declined to identify.

“We don’t give out gang names because it glorifies gangs,” he said.