NYPD: Brooklyn cemetery vandalism may be hate crime

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - The New York City Police Department is looking for three teens who caused extensive damage to a Brooklyn cemetery.

The three suspects, approximately 16 to 19 years old, went into the Cypress Hills Cemetery on Jamaica Avenue and damaged more than 40 headstones just after midnight Tuesday morning.

Police said some head stones were knocked over and spray-painted with derogatory words. The teens also entered the memorial Abbey mausoleum and caused damage by breaking the marble stones on the front of approximately 15 vaults.

The teen spray-painting vulgar ethnic slurs on the final resting place of dozens of people, police said. The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating because the teens apparently targeted Asian tombstones.

The suspects are white or Hispanic with light complexions. The NYPD did not release any other details on the suspects.

If you have any information, you can contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477). Police said that all calls are confidential.

Cypress Hills Cemetery was founded in 1848 and is a non-profit, non-sectarian corporation.