A Boston man was arrested Sunday after a string of vandalism was reported across the city overnight that included damaging the Holocaust Memorial and the graves of Paul Revere and 19 others.
Boston police say 46-year-old Lawrence Hawkins has been charged with multiple counts of destruction of property, destruction of a place of worship and defacing a burial site. He is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on Monday; attorney information wasn't immediately available.
According to police, officers first responded to the area of 125 Charles Street South around 11:31 p.m. Saturday for a report of breaking and entering. Upon arrival, officers saw the front door of the business had been smashed and there was a brick inside the building. After checking surveillance video, police broadcast a description of the suspect, who was later identified as Hawkins.
Shortly after midnight, an officer found his assigned marked cruiser had its windshield smashed, and again police broadcast a description of the suspect after reviewing surveillance video.
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Later Sunday morning, police responded to the area of 15 Sudbury Street for a broken window and a further investigation revealed the suspect description was similar to the prior two incidents.
Police used surveillance video to follow the man's activity and saw him throw an unknown item at the Holocaust Memorial, located at 98 Union Street. Responding officers found a brick on the ground and damage to the memorial, police said.
Just after 3 a.m., officers were called to 15 Court Square where a glass window had been broken at the back of the business, and another window was broken at a nearby business located at 201 Washington Street.
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After viewing more surveillance video, police again identified the same suspect.
Police followed the man's movements through surveillance video and saw him enter the Southampton Street Shelter. Officers entered the shelter around 4:30 a.m. and arrested Hawkins, who matched the description from the prior vandalism incidents.
About six hours later, around 10:44 a.m., police received a report of vandalism to the Granary Burying Ground in the area of Tremont and Bromfield streets. Officers were told that multiple tombstones on the property had been vandalized, including that of Paul Revere, police said. Fourteen tombstones were vandalized by being pulled from the ground of broken into pieces. Continuing their investigation, officers noticed six more tombstones located in the adjacent King's Chapel Burying Ground were also vandalized.
After viewing additional surveillance video, police say they confirmed the suspect matched Hawkins' description, who had been arrested.
The National Park Service was notified of the incident, police said.
