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Police: Several Tombstones Vandalized At Jewish Cemetery

By Mike Dougherty and Alexandria Hoff

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Several tombstones were found knocked over in a Jewish cemetery Tuesday afternoon in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia police say a groundskeeper found five tombstones vandalized shortly after 12:30 p.m. at the Adath Jeshurun Cemetery on the 1800 block of Bridge Street.

Community Comes Together To Cleanup Cemetery Following Gravestone Vandalism

Lt. Dennis Rosembaum said, "Obviously these stones were knocked over. It wasn't from decay or weather."

He says police collected finger prints and DNA evidence from the scene.

"There was no anti semetic graphiti or anything like that," said Rosembaum.

While the cemetery does not have security cameras, there are some nearby residents who do and detectives will look at that footage in hopes of figuring out who's responsible.

"We're upset, just as the public is going to be upset," he said. "There's no reason for it.

Hundreds Of Gravestones Toppled, Vandalized At Jewish Cemetery

Authorities are also trying to find who destroyed Mt. Carmel Cemetery earlier this year.

"We still have a reward. It's $74,000. We never really got any tips on it," said Rosembaum.

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