Spray painters mark businesses, structures

by Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
   Someone opted to paint the town Nov. 7 — spray painting an assortment of symbols and phrases on several Manville businesses, a railroad underpass and a business’s van.
   Manville police said the symbols have no known meeting or ties to a specific group, though information on the incidents was submitted to the county for further consultation.
   ”As of right now, it’s just considered random,” Manville police Detective Ronald Gazaway said.
   Damages from the painting total $1,200, with most of the incidents occurring on Main Street.
   The first incident, at Manville Diner, was reported at 6:48 p.m. Police reported that someone spray painted a stucco panel on the South Main Street building with the word “jama” in pink. Repairs are estimated at $500.
   Director of Public Works Phil Petrone found the second and third graffiti incidents, at 7:32 a.m. on the Kyle Street underpass, and at 8:08 a.m. on the Sealmaster building on Kyle Street.
   According to police, an assortment of symbols were observed in purple, orange and green paint, including “jama” and “5.” Repairs to the underpass are estimated at $500.
   Police reported finding approximately $500 worth of damage on the Sealmaster building as well, finding orange, green and purple symbols and words, including “jama,” on the building.
   At 8:49 a.m., a Cool-o-Matic employee reported finding graffiti on a trailer in the rear of the building. Patrols reported finding orange, pink, green and black graffiti on the trailer, and estimated the cleanup cost at $250.
   Patrols reported finding a fifth set of symbols on the Washington Avenue side of Express Nails at 11:18 a.m. The pink spray-painted symbol is expected to cost $100 to remove.
   A second patrol found a green unidentifiable symbol painted on the South Street side of Cyburt’s Liquors, also at 11:18 a.m. The cost to repair the graffiti is estimated at $100.
   Police reported receiving a call from Express Delivery at 12:31 a.m. that revealed more graffiti, this time to one of the business’s vans. Patrols reported finding an orange symbol painted on the driver’s side of the van, and a green symbol on the back door. The damage to the van was estimated at $250.