New Holstein cemetery vandalized for second time

NEW HOLSTEIN -- A cemetery is meant to be a peaceful place of rest, but in New Holstein, vandals desecrated the city's cemetery.

11 gravestones in the New Holstein City Cemetery were knocked over during the summer -- and last Saturday, September 29th, 12 more were hit.

Cemetery caretaker Jim Stecker has worked at the cemetery for 30 years. He says the vandals were bold as the plots are well-lit and on the city's main street.

"This time, they went for the bigger ones and the older ones. They weren't afraid to do it!" Stecker said.

New Holstein Police Chief Brian Reedy said it's unclear just who "they" are or why they'd do this.

"In our investigation we don't know where to look. That's why we're going out asking for the public's help right now," New Holstein Police Chief Brian Reedy said.

It's going to cost the cemetery association $3,000 to fix the head stones. Many of the headstones date back to the 1800s, so police say this vandalism has also damaged part of New Holstein's history.

"It's distasteful. It's very sad. The victims are the families of those whose stones were damaged," Chief Reedy said.

"Lot of these people would feel very badly if they were to come here and see these stones that were tipped over," Stecker said.

To protect those stones still standing, police are doing extra patrols around the cemetery.

Stecker says people in town have said they'll be on the lookout.

Anyone with information about the cemetery vandalism is asked to call the New Holstein Police at (920) 898-4241.

There is a $300 reward for information leading to an arrest.