Horry County police searching for cemetery vandals who wrought thousands in damage

Horry County police are asking the public for help tracking down the person or group responsible for vandalizing a church cemetery and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Authorities said 32 headstones and several statues at the Sweetwater Branch Baptist Church along U.S. Highway 544 were desecrated between Sept. 28 and Sept. 30.

Images posted to the agency’s Facebook page show toppled statues and headstones knocked off their base.

“Initial estimates put the cost of the damage in the thousands,” police wrote. “We’d encourage others to consider too the pain this causes the families of those who lie in that cemetery.”

Disrupting human remains is a felony under state law, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison and $5,000 in fines.