Police in Pontardawe have arrested three children who caused damage to graves at a local church.
The three boys, aged 10, 10 and 11, were caught by officers who were investigating criminal damage at the cemetery in St Mary Church in Ynysmeudwy.
The suspects admitted the offences and have received formal reprimands after being taken to the graveyard by investigating officer, PC Jim Kostromin.
The incident happened on 17th January 2010 when flowers, wreaths and ornaments were thrown around the churchyard. Some of the items ended up on the church roof.
PC Kostromin, of the Pontardawe Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The three suspects were traced after we made local enquiries.
“They all made full admissions and their parents were fully co-operative. I took the boys to the churchyard and they showed me the damage they had caused to some items which had been left on graves.”
These items included a framed photograph of a young person who had died and a marble flower pot which had been placed on a grave.
Both victims of these crimes have been informed of the action taken against the boys and are satisfied that the culprits have been caught.
Sergeant Andy Abraham of the Pontardawe Neighbourhood Policing Team added: “This incident caused a lot of distress for members of the community not least the victims of the crimes who had left tributes to loved ones on the graves only for them to be damaged in this way.
“We hope that by catching the culprits we have been able to bring some comfort to those affected.”
