A cool afternoon breeze blows through Calvary Cemetery, drying the spray paint on the mausoleum. On the roof, a man in a red cap looks for a spot to install a security camera.

Staring up at him is Julian Puente, district manager for the Hanford Cemetery District. He's shaking his head, standing next to a large, granite tombstone with a gang tag tattooed across the back.

"We get hit every few months," Puente said. "We do a lot of work to make the place look nice and then something like this happens."

Many cemeteries are dealing with the harsh reality of vandalism -- attacks on property that cause untold thousands of dollars in damages to funerary grounds every year.

Driving around the graveyard on Monday, Puente pointed out the perimeter fence.

"That gets hit a couple times a year with graffiti," he said. "There's one spot over there where they used a lighter and burned it. Sometimes, they come in here and park their cars on the grass and have a party. We find beer bottles all over the place the next morning."

On the southern part of the property is a metal cross with a soldier's helmet welded to the top. Puente said there used to be a rifle on there, as well, but someone tore it off and kept it.

"Once the weather starts getting warm, we start seeing more of this," Puente said.

To cope with the frequent attacks, Puente is going on the offensive.

Steel gates will be added to all the entrances. Security cameras and additional lighting will be installed around the mausoleum. Signs, printed up and ready in the back of the district manager's pickup truck, will be posted for all to see.

"CLOSED: 9 p.m.- 7 a.m." the signs read. "No trespassing while closed. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

If the situation gets worse, a night security guard will be hired to patrol the grounds.

Puente estimates these measures will cost at least $25,000.

"I'm not sure what else we can do," Puente said. "There's only so many times we can spray the graffiti off with a power washer. You can still see where the old graffiti is underneath the new."

Assistant Sheriff Brian Wheat said cemetery vandalism is not an uncommon crime.

"We've had several like this over the years," Wheat said. "People will come in, knock over tombstones, drive their cars on the grass, throw trash everywhere. It's terrible."

One incident left a local cemetery with more than $10,000 in damages, according to Assistant Sheriff Randy Montejano.

Hanford police said Calvary Cemetery seems to get targeted quite frequently.

Cemetery officials are offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in these crimes.

Anyone with information about this or other cemetery vandalism incidents can contact 1-800-78-CRIME to report it anonymously.

"It shouldn't have to come to this," Puente said. "We'll do what we can to prevent it, though."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(March 24, 2009)