Someone damaged a headstone and made off with a replica basketball that had been affixed to it at Lake Charles Park Cemetery in Bel-Nor sometime between September 21 and September 24, and police say they need the public's help tracking down whoever did it.
According to KMOV, officers say a headstone at the cemetery was damaged during that window, and the small basketball ornament attached to it was stolen. Investigators haven't said what led them to believe the vandalism and theft happened across those specific days, but the timeline places the incident between September 21 and September 24.
St. John police are requesting any information residents might have about the incident, including surveillance video. The department says it's especially interested in doorbell and Ring camera footage from around the cemetery grounds that might show who was responsible. Anyone with tips is asked to call St. John police at (314) 427-8700.
A Cemetery With Nearly a Century of History
Lake Charles Park Cemetery sits along St. Charles Rock Road in Bel-Nor, a sprawling 98-acre burial ground that has served the region for generations. Per the cemetery's own history, posted on lakecharlescemetery.com, the grounds were established in 1922, and the property was later renamed Lake Charles Memorial Park in January 1951.
Neither the identity of the person memorialized by the damaged headstone nor any estimate of the cost of the damage has been made public. It's also unclear whether police have identified a suspect or a motive for the vandalism.
What Investigators Are Asking For
For now, the case rests on whatever surveillance footage neighbors and passersby might be able to provide. St. John police have not released images of a suspect or vehicle, and the request for tips remains open. Anyone in the Bel-Nor area with home security systems near the cemetery is encouraged to check their footage from the days in question and reach out to investigators.
