More than 100 gravestones were toppled at Joutseno cemetery in Lappeenranta last July, with flowers and memorial items destroyed, Yle reported. The vandalism caused about 3,600 euros in costs for the Lappeenranta Parish Union, including raising the stones and contacting relatives.
The parish union installed additional surveillance cameras at its cemeteries after the incident. Seija Kuosmanen, head of burial services at the Lappeenranta Parish Union, says camera surveillance is one of the few tools the parish has to reduce vandalism. 'Surveillance cameras have strengthened security and thereby reduced fear of vandalism,' Kuosmanen says. No vandalism has occurred at the cemetery since summer.
Police in Southeast Finland investigated the case as grave desecration and damage. They suspect three individuals under 15 of the crime. Because of their young age, they can't face criminal liability, but they may have to compensate for the damages.
Kuosmanen says mediation is next, though no precise schedule is set. In criminal mediation, the suspect and victim meet to discuss harms and agree on compensation. Kuosmanen will represent the parish. 'I see that if mediation can clarify and repair the matter, it is a good way for the parish to resolve the situation,' she says.
Kuosmanen notes that vandalism has increased in the Lappeenranta area, and the parish union has tried to prepare in many ways. She