By Carol Stiffler
Homes and businesses in Newberry have recently been targeted by vandals tagging buildings and vehicles with words or images.
At least three properties were vandalized two weeks ago and two more reported being marked last week. The Luce County Sheriff Department is investigating the situation.
Luce County Undersheriff Mike Peters suspects the vandals are young and quite amateur. The graffiti is simple and crudely done, sometimes in Sharpie and sometimes with spray paint. He is seeking video footage of the culprits.
At least one Newberry resident reported seeing at least five teens trespassing through her yard at 2 a.m. last Tuesday.
“I think for the most part people are doing a good job of keeping an eye on their property and that of their neighbors’,” Peters said. “But…some parents in this community need to be doing a much better job of monitoring where their children are and what they’re doing. It’s unacceptable for any kid(s) to be roaming the neighborhoods at 2:00 in the morning. I encourage people to continue to report damage, theft, or suspicious activity on their property, regardless of how insignificant it may seem.”
Though some of the graffiti implies drug or gang activity, Peters said Newberry is not currently dealing with gang problems.
