Home Headlines

KKTV Mobile Site >> Home Headlines

Back to Home Headlines

Vandals Strike, Neighbors Respond

Posted: 9:30 PM Jan 29, 2013
Reporter: David Nancarrow

Neighbors Stand Up To Vandalism

Police report they're catching up with criminals leaving their mark on local neighborhoods. As they try to round up more suspects families in Fountain are getting to work to cover up the damage.

On a major road like Fountain Mesa Road in Fountain graffiti can be seen from one end to the other. There are spray painted symbols on electric boxes stone work and fences. It seems like it's on everything, and it's on the neighbors' nerves.

"This is a good neighborhood,” said Debbie Garza. “All of a sudden there's bad graffiti and we don't want it."

A long fence on Fountain Mesa has had some work done. The graffiti once there is now covered up.

"We just got sick of looking at it," said Jolene Smith.

Smith and her five kids gave up part of a recent four day weekend to pick up some paint brushes and some wood stain to stand up to the vandals.

"It’s a mess,” Smith said. “It's an eyesore. It's a distraction and it's frustrating."

Fountain police have arrested two people: a juvenile and a man named Ernesto Pruneda Jr. The two are with 100 counts of criminal mischief for spray painting and defacing property in Fountain over the past several weeks.

Jolene and her family are pleased to see that kind of damage disappear.

"We felt encouraged that we were doing something good for everybody that they could appreciate," her daughter Hailey said.

If vandals come back Jolene’s family says they're ready to go back to work.

Police there's been about $10,000 in damages to local neighborhoods in Fountain. They're still working this case, and expect to make some more arrests.