Grave vandals anger family

Jarrett Ross buried his granny a year ago yesterday. He buried a loved sister-in-law in March this year. The 21-year-old cancer sufferer died on her wedding day, just hours after she and Jarrett's brother had married quietly at her bedside in the Hospice.
The two graves at Aramoho Cemetery are just two plots away from each other.
It was important to the family to keep their loved ones circled in light for the dark nights, so they had placed tiny solar lights around each headstone.
But week after week the little lights were either smashed or stolen.
"The lights on Granny's grave were stolen just three days after we buried her," Jarrett said.
Yesterday, Jarrett and members of his family were at a complete loss to understand how people could be so callous and disrespectful, especially in a sacred place.
"A place where so many people come to remember and be with the memories of their loved ones," he said.
The family say they have had enough.
With a total of six family members buried at the cemetery, they have arrived time and again to discover the lights broken or stolen off all six graves.
And they are not the only ones, they say.
Other people here are having the same problem, Jarrett said.
"It's disgusting, it's cruel and it's nasty. I'm just sick of it really sick of it. Whoever's doing this better not ever meet face-to-face with my nan. She's so upset they would be in real trouble," Jarrett said.
Even though the family are constantly replacing the little lights, they're not going to stop.
"No way. The lights are special to us. They are special to everyone who has family buried here. I mean, no one expects people to rob graves. You expect the cemetery to be a safe place, a blessed place. It shouldn't be a place where thieves and idiots can roar in and do what they like."
Nicola Ross said it made her very sad every time she found smashed or stolen lights.
"Our dead should be safe from that kind of stuff."
On a marble headstone nearby, the inscribed message says: "Walk softly when you pass near, for our Granny and all our memories are resting here."
Mayor Michael Laws said he had every sympathy with the family and could well understand their frustration and grief.
But short of stationing permanent security guards at the cemetery or closing it after dark there was not a lot the council could do, he said.
Even though council did not know of any anti-social activity at the cemetery, Mr Laws said he would be talking with the police.