Several gravestones at a Meriden cemetery popular among virtual gamers were vandalized recently.
The vandalism at St. Patricks’ Cemetery included graffiti and profanity.
“That is surprising. It’s horrible, it’s not a good thing to do,” said Cheryl Hulett, who lives across the street.
Neighbors say the graveyard is often busy, but people aren’t coming and going to pay their respects.
Most of the graves date back to the late 1800s, but the cemetery is now a popular spot to visit because of the online game Pokémon Go.
“I play Pokémon Go,” explained 22-year-old Christopher Oblon. “And no it’s not a dead game it’s got an active community. the stops are pretty active. When there’s a raid here, people pile in with cars. It’s almost like someone is being buried, but nope it’s just a Pokémon raid going on.”
Oblon said he noticed the vandalism while stopping by to play.
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“There’s lots of writing, and graffiti on the gravestones, but I’ve never seen anyone actually do it,” he said.
The cemetery is maintained by the Catholic Cemeteries Association. NBC Connecticut reached out for comment but has yet to hear back.
