Zizi Sparks: Put cameras in cemeteries to deter vandals

The most recent example of grave desecration was that of Diego Hulton's grave just weeks ago. Photo / File

OPINION

A grave is a special place. You hear of people who visit a loved one's grave each day or week, on their birthday or anniversary, Christmas or other special days.

It's a place to go and remember, to talk, contemplate and feel a connection.

It is why there would be nothing worse than going to visit a loved one's grave and finding it desecrated.

But in the roughly three years I've lived in Rotorua that is exactly what has happened many times to locals. I can recall at least one or two occasions a year, and they are just the ones we were told about.

There were wheel skid marks left at Kauae Cemetery, a precious pounamu stolen from a grave at the same cemetery and 10 graves desecrated at Pukerimu Urupa at Waiteti in November last year.

The most recent incident was at the end of last month when a headstone was ripped from its foundations and the photos attached to it smashed.

And it's not a problem isolated to Rotorua.

Six honour rolls at the cenotaph at Tauranga's Memorial Park, bearing the names of servicemen from the Tauranga area who died fighting in overseas conflicts, had holes punched in them when vandals attacked in 2007.

At Pyes Pa cemetery, 16 bronze plaques were ripped from headstones in the Returned Services section.

There were also attacks on Tauranga cemeteries in 2006. Vandals smashed headstones, did burnouts on grass, dumped litter and stole mementos belonging to grieving people.

In 2012, while I was living in Auckland, vandals spray-painted more than 20 Jewish graves with swastikas. Hastings, Taupō, Dunedin and more have all been affected.

Now, in response to the latest attack in Rotorua, a Rotorua man has launched an online petition which he intends to take to the Rotorua Lakes Council with the hope of getting Kauae Cemetery added to the CCTV network monitored by the council.

Petitioner Tony Moore believed cameras would be a deterrent and would also provide police with the means to take action.

A trustee at a private cemetery said the need for cameras needed to be weighed against people's right to grieve privately.

Guy Ngatai from the Waiteti Urupā said it would be important to get the balance right between protecting sacred areas and personal privacy.

And both he and Moore are right.

There is a fine balance between wanting to grieve in peace and wanting to ensure your loved one's final resting place is safe.

I would rather the peace of mind, knowing that a precious place is being monitored for vandalism. If cameras are not monitored 24/7 people can still go to their loved ones' graves and spend time there in peace.

However, cameras only go so far as a deterrent. Shops with cameras are still burgled, people still drive away without paying from gas stations with cameras.

But, as Moore says, footage could provide police with the means to take action, which is surely desirable.

So let's install cameras at cemeteries. At least we will have the confidence security camera footage will be there if vandalism does happen.