Police said the 16-year-olds from Unanderra, Lake Heights and Albion Park were arrested on Thursday night after a tip-off from the public.

The teenagers allegedly went to the cemetery sometime after 5pm on Saturday and destroyed angels' heads and crucifixes, scratched and chipped marble and smashed open glass vestibules on 37 monuments in three sections of the cemetery.

Most of the damage occurred in the Macedonian section.

Inspector Steve White said the arrest was a result of good police work after a tip-off.

"Information from the public led police to two of the three juveniles and they were subsequently taken to be questioned at Port Kembla Police Station and that led to the arrest of the third 16-year-old," Insp White said.

The teenagers were released on Thursday night and are expected to appear in court in about six weeks.

Insp White said the boys were likely to be charged with malicious damage exceeding $5000.

The maximum penalty for adults is five years' jail.

Wollongong City Council's manager of commercial projects and property, Peter Coyte, said he was pleased the alleged offenders had been caught.