Town of San Miguel de Salinas are in a state of shock after its cemetery was vandalised, graves robbed and coffins removed from their niches. This was the appalling scene of desecration that greeted the caretaker of the graveyard when he arrived to open the gates as usual at 8.30 in the morning. He discovered that one of the niches had been tampered with but had not been opened, while another one had been opened and the coffin removed. The coffin had been placed upright against the wall, with the body still inside. It was obvious that the clothing of the deceased had been searched for any objects of value. The robbers had also removed two receptacles from the niche containing human bones, which had obviously been there for many years. Police say that the perpetrators used tools to break down the stone and brick walls and so had come well prepared. It would appear that they had scaled the wall at the back of the cemetery, which faces onto land that is now in the process of being developed. The violators also caused damage to the cemetery in general and had thrown crucifixes and religious objects on to the ground.The cemetery is in a quiet road away from the town. It is kept in an immaculate condition and is surrounded by orange and lemon groves.Those families affected by the desecration have been informed.
