Police looking into rash of graffiti

The Nevada Police Department is investigating concerns from the public about spray painted graffiti located in several areas of the city of Nevada. Nevada Police Officer Brian Hansen has been assigned to locate spray painted graffiti within the city of Nevada and investigate the nature and source of the graffiti. According to Sergeant Steve Bastow of the Nevada Police Department, the graffiti is not something that has just popped up. It has been going on and is "something we have been monitoring for several months," he said

Officers of the Nevada Police department have developed several leads on suspects involved in the painting of the graffiti on private property and are actively investigating to identify persons involved. According to Bastow the graffiti appears to be the work of teenagers.

"We do not believe it is gang related," he said. None of the graffiti has been found on publicly owned property.

Officer Hansen has also been in contact with business and property owners in the city of Nevada in regards to the clean up and removal of the graffiti located on their property. Hansen reports overwhelming support from business and property owners in removing the graffiti, as well as reporting any activity around their buildings that they deem suspicious in nature. Bastow said that property and business owners in town are "all on board on this."

Bob Vinyard said they had an incident at Vinyard Farm and Home Supply on East Austin Boulevard several years ago and another a short time back. He said he had to buy paint to cover the graffiti and pay one of his employees to paint over the markings. "It was an inconvenience," said Vinyard. The graffiti was on the north and west sides of the company's warehouse. It was conceivable that whoever did the painting could have came under the highway along the railroad tracks, Vinyard said. He also said that some of the "symbols were kind of artistic" and whoever did it "should use that."

The Nevada Police Department asks citizens to be diligent in their observations of suspicious activities around any buildings or objects that can be painted. Community oriented policing involves the citizens of Nevada and the Nevada Police Department working together in eliminating the vandalism and graffiti within the city of Nevada.

Persons suspected of committing any crime should not be confronted, but police should be called immediately. Citizens should obtain a good physical description of the subject including: race, hair color, height, weight, and clothing details. If the person in question has a vehicle or enters a vehicle, attempt to obtain the vehicle make, model, color, and a license plate number.

The Nevada Police Department encourages citizens to report any criminal activity, by calling (417) 448-2710 or the Tip Hotline (417) 448-5117.