Cops: Headstones knocked over at East Farmingdale cemetery

Investigators are still seeking a suspect — or suspects — responsible for knocking over about two dozen headstones during Labor Day weekend at St. Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County police said Wednesday. The grave markers themselves were not damaged.

The headstones were knocked over between 5 p.m. Sunday and 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, when police received a call reporting the incident.

First Squad detectives are investigating the case as first-degree cemetery desecration, a Class E felony.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn operates the cemetery.

A statement released Tuesday by the diocese said: “The vandalism of 26 headstones discovered this morning by the staff at St. Charles/Resurrection Catholic Cemeteries is unsettling and the Suffolk County Police Department is investigating.

"The crews are currently looking at each disturbed gravestone and working to reset them. The Diocese of Brooklyn condemns this act of religious intolerance and the Catholic cemeteries office will be in contact with the families of the affected graves.”

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”