Vandals spray paint gang symbols on buildings, vehicles

Fond du Lac police are searching for the people responsible for spray painting gang symbols on buildings and vehicles over the weekend around the city.

Fond du Lac Assistant Police Chief Steve Klein said officers received 11 complaints from property owners regarding black and purple symbols scrawled across vehicles, bar windows, and brick and sheet metal walls.

"We believe the incidents took place during the late evening hours of Sunday, Jan. 4, and the early morning hours of Monday, Jan. 5," Klein said.

Buildings targeted in the vandalism spree include Evaporator Dryer Technologies, 66 N. Brooke St., Wells Manufacturing Plant 1, 26 S. Brooke St., The Warehouse Sports Pub, 211 S. Military Road, former Casa Anna Cheese property, 204 W. Division St., Park Cheese warehouse, 233 W. Division St., and The Green Dragon Brew Pub, 144 Western Ave.

Two residents reported that their vehicles parked in the 400 block of South Marr Street and 10th Street were also covered with what appeared to be gang symbols the include anarchy symbols, purple wings and crowns, several numbers and the acronym BFO.

Klein hesitates to link the vandalism to gang activity.

"The graffiti definitely includes symbols often associated with possible gang activity. But to say this is part of gang activity is speculation at this point," Klein said. "However, these symbols used in these vandalism incidents are symbols that have been used by gangs in the past."

Klein said school resource officers have been asked to put out feelers at the schools for possible leads on suspects. Investigators are also working with business owners to secure surveillance camera footage.

"Some of this activity took place on Military Road and Western Avenue which is usually a pretty busy intersection," Klein said. "So hopefully someone driving through saw activity that appeared to be suspicious or saw someone hanging out in the area and contacts us."

Klein said it's important to put a stop to graffiti vandalism right away.

"We're working with victims to make sure they get the graffiti cleaned up and taken care of right away because a lot of times if it's left standing it leads to more graffiti," Klein said. "And it's obvious that we have some individuals out there that appear to be bent on defacing other people's property."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department non-emergency number at (920) 906-5555 or the Crime Alert number at (920) 322-3740.

Contact Colleen Kottke at (920) 907-7968 or ckottke@fdlreporter.com; Twitter: @ColleenKottke.