Cops Say They've Found Graffiti Culprits

Local vandals who were hard at work over spring break have been identified and are being disciplined for their graffiti on area playgrounds, destruction of mailboxes and damage to vehicles, police said.

The suspects are all teenagers who attend and are now in the hands of the school's resource officer, Cmndr. Mike Anders said. Because they are juveniles, their names were not released.

Police believe the group is to blame for six property defacement incidents that were reported between , many of which were at , 1651 Ranchview Drive, .

"But those six ," Anders said. "We've since learned that these juveniles spread their damage beyond just the school and nearby signs. … They brought it to vehicles and mailboxes. They had some disparaging words for the police."

Graffiti included , curse words and nasty comments directed at law enforcement officials.

"Even now, the case is not completely cleared up," said Anders, who was unsure how many juveniles were involved in the crimes. "They have cleared some incidents but they are still trying to find out if there's anything else these kids may be responsible for."

According to the City of Naperville's municipal code, local ordinances regulating the sale of spray paint are not in place. It does clearly say, however, that the act of graffiti is illegal.

"It is unlawful for any person to inscribe, draw, or otherwise place on the surface of any structure or wall that is publicly or privately owned, any sign, symbol, marking, name, initial, word, diagram, sketch, picture or letter, without the permission of the owner of the property," stated the code.

The only way someone can legally deface a property is with written go-ahead from its owner, according to the code. But no matter what, obscenity referring to sexual activity, defamatory material, gang references or graphics that incite violence are never allowed.

Property owners — whether that's the city or a private property owner — are in charge of removing any graffiti within five days of when it's reported.

"Based on the actions of these juveniles, they did deface property that needed to be cleaned and fixed up by owners," Anders said. "So they will be responsible for helping to pay restitution for that effort."

If found guilty of scrawling slurs on city property, the ordinance suggests a fine of between $100 and $500. Repeat offenders' fines can range from $200 to $1,000. The court may also order a further penalty, like community service.

"I don't know what the motivation was behind this," Anders said. "I don't know if it was just boredom during spring break, I don't know if it was just opportunity … But trying to understand the motivation of why kids do what they do is always an interesting concept."