Muddy ruts after vandals did burnouts at Hautapu Cemetery in Waikato. Photo / Waipa District Council
Muddy ruts after vandals did burnouts at Hautapu Cemetery in Waikato. Photo / Waipa District Council
Two men in their 20s have been arrested after lawns and freshly-dug plots at a Waikato graveyard were ripped up by hoons earlier this week.
The pair are accused of intentionally damaging the Hautapu Cemetery, leaving locals "sickened".
It follows the arrest of a 19-year-old over the August 1 incident,which saw grass shredded and mud churned up in tyre tracks around the cemetery. It's expected the damage will take months to repair.
Cambridge police have since arrested another two men, both aged 24. One is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court on August 11 on charges of intentional damage, interfering with a grave, sustained loss of traction and perverting the course of justice.
The second is due to appear in the court on August 16 on charges of intentional damage, interfering with a grave and sustained loss of traction.
"Cambridge Police are happy to be able to hold these people accountable for their actions on behalf of the local community," police said in a statement.
Damage to the Hautapu Cemetery near Cambridge. Three men have been arrested over the vandalism. Photo / Waipa District Council
Lawns at the community graveyard were torn up by wheel marks and freshly-dug plots were run over.
Waipā District Council has begun repairing the cemetery but estimates it will cost $3000 and will take months to restore.
Local contractors and suppliers had offered to help repair the cemetery for free, community services manager Brad Ward said.
"We've had a huge response from the community. It's obvious people are generally sickened by what's happened," he said.
"These are precious, sacred areas that are valued by our community, and we won't have them ruined by idiots."
Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest called the vandals "scumbags" and said he was "utterly appalled" by what had happened.
The 19-year-old who was earlier arrested over the incident appeared briefly in court on Friday, charged with intentional damage, interfering with a grave and sustained loss of traction on a public road. His car had also been impounded.
He was granted interim name suppression and remanded without plea to reappear in court on August 25.
