POINT PLEASANT — The Point Pleasant Police have a warrant out for the arrest of a man they believe to be the lead suspect in a recent rash of gravestone tipping.

Police chief Ernie Watterson said that 64 gravestones were knocked over last weekend, Aug. 21-23, in Suncrest, Lone Oak and Old Lone Oak cemeteries.

He said extra patrols had been in the area due to a several reports of grave site vandalism in July and early August.

“Late Sunday night or early Monday morning, a motorist stopped one of our patrol cars and said they had hit a ceramic angel,” Watterson said.

Police went into the cemetery with the flood light and spotted four individuals, who took off. Police caught one of them, a juvenile who indicated that he was with another juvenile and two young adults.

In the following days, two others were identified and questioned. All three implicated a fourth man, who police believe is hiding out.

However, Watterson isn’t convinced the man they seek acted alone.

“I can’t imagine just one guy doing that,” he said. “Some of those stones are (hundreds or thousands) of pounds. He’d have to have help.”

No word on how much the damage was done, but City Council voted to pay for repairs to the gravestones that had previously been damaged. Watterson said he’s not sure who will pay for the most recent incidents.

Watterson said he’s talked to some local residents who have their own ideas of punishment, including mowing the cemetery grass for a period of time. State law, he said, dictates the charges are misdemeanor with up to a $2,000 fine and one year in jail.

“People are upset. Families are upset,” Watterson said. “And we’re upset.”

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