MINDLESS vandals have targeted Ballarat cemeteries for the third time in less than three months.
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In the latest attack, a historic tombstone was smashed into pieces at the Ballarat Old Cemetery and a syringe was found hidden underneath a bunch of flowers that were sitting on a grave.
Ballarat resident Peter Sparkman said he was visiting his grandparents’ gravestone on Friday and was shocked to discover the grave sitting directly next to it had been completely destroyed.
Mr Sparkman said he was further disturbed when he lifted the top of the metal grate to change the flowers sitting on his grandparents’ grave and found a syringe hidden underneath.
“The whole thing made me feel really odd,” Mr Sparkman said.
“To use anyone’s grave to dispose of or store your syringes is not right.
''It’s supposed to be a place of respect for people who have passed away. I would hate to think of a child coming into the cemetery and picking up a syringe.”
Mr Sparkman said he was most upset by the senseless act of defacing a historic tombstone. “I felt really sad for the family of the person who was buried there.
“There is never an excuse to destroy a grave like that.”
He said the split lines through the centre of the grave appeared to be fresh.
It followed other attacks on Ballarat graves, including people smashing and stealing ornaments from the babies lawn at Ballarat General Cemeteries.
Earlier this month, vandals also spray-painted demonic graffiti, including a satanic star, on graves at the Ballarat Old Cemetery.
Calls are being renewed to crack down on security at the site to stop the vandalism.
Ballarat councillor Glen Crompton said he wanted to bring the matter to the council chamber and discuss how it could assist the trust in finding a resolution
“It is a terrible act,” he said.
“There are two sides to this incident. There is the drug problem, which is an enormous issue we have been tackling for years and don’t seem to be getting on top of.
''Then there is the difficulty that this is a publicly accessible place, vulnerable to vandalism ... and it’s not as simple as just surrounding it all in barbed wire to stop the unfortunate scenes that are occurring.”
Ballarat General Cemeteries chief executive David Beames said he was saddened by the latest act.
While he had not been notified of any syringes being found, he vowed the incident would be thoroughly investigated in the coming days.
melissa.cunningham@fairfaxmedia.com.au