Yesterday I posted an article about the controversial topic of using shaving cream to highlight the lettering on tombstones. I thought that was a high-risk solution but it pales in comparison to an article in yesterday's Athol (Massachusetts) Daily News.
It seems that a commercial photographer wanted to take pictures of the tombstones. She used a powered wire brush to "buff" the area around the lettering of roughly 400 of the cemetery's oldest tombstones to improve readability. You can see a picture of some of the damaged stones at http://www.atholdailynews.com/index.php?id=10004247&offset=240.
Upon arrest, the photographer said that she was unaware that her actions would cause damage or that there were laws against it. She stated that she was surprised that anyone would be upset by her actions.
The woman was arrested and could face over $1 million in fines and multiple prison sentences for the damage.
There are indications that the same woman has caused similar damage in other, nearby cemeteries in recent weeks.
