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Nearly two dozen tombs damaged at historic Tampa cemetery

The historic cemetery, established in 1904, has approximately 1,600 graves.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Pieces of Tampa history, smashed to pieces.

Nearly 20 tombs and statues were damaged at the Centro Espanol de Tampa cemetery sometime this week, Tampa police said.

A heavy object, possibly a sledgehammer, was used to damage 18 tombs and statues at the cemetery, which was established in 1904 and has approximately 1,600 graves.

Hundreds of families are hoping their loved one’s tombs are still in one piece. Many went to the cemetery to make sure they were still in place.

The cemetery on East 21st Avenue, near Al Barnes Park, has stood for more than a century.

James Zuniga was the first to come across the damage on Monday and called the police. He always takes a shortcut through the cemetery when walking his dogs.

“Disgusted,” Zuniga said. “These graves have been here forever, and there is no reason for them to come and vandalize {them} the way they do like this.”

John Ranon and Kathy Veron feel the same way. Both have relatives buried there, but luckily their graves were untouched.

“It's disheartening that a place that has so much meaning to so many people in this town and which is not only a historic place, but a sacred place has been desecrated,” Ranon said.

Ranon and Veron are part of the Centro Espanol de Tampa Society, which works to preserve the mission of the Spanish immigrants laid to rest at the cemetery.

Many worked in the cigar factories in Ybor City.

“They pretty much doubled the size of Tampa, I think, at that time and helped establish the city to what it is today and establish that culture that we enjoy so much now,” Veron said.

The society already had grant money set aside to help beautify the cemetery.

They were planning on adding granite pathways, benches and replacing the old fence.

Now, they say they'll have to use that grant money to rebuild those tombs and statues that were destroyed, but they say it's not going to be enough.

The damage will cost about $15,000 to fix.

But people like Veron say they will figure out how to get that money and restore the historic Tampa treasures.

Some of the graves date back to the early 20th century, and members of the Centro Espanol Society don't have information to contact the families.

Now, they're making it their mission to find any living relative and inform them of the damage to their loved one's graves.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

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