Calverton residents fear ‘tagging’ is gang-related

Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008

Calverton residents fear ‘tagging’ is gang-related

Police are investigating recent incidents of spray-painted graffiti in area

by Danny Jacobs | Staff Writer

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Naomi Brookner⁄The Gazette

Residents are concerned that graffiti on street signs along Calverton Boulevard is gang-related.

Multiple street signs in Calverton have been spray-painted for the second time in five weeks, and worried residents fear it is a sign of gang activity as police continue their investigation.

The latest incident occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 8 and was reported one day later, according to police. The number ‘‘22” was spray-painted on the fronts and backs of nearly all street signs along the Montgomery County portion of Calverton, as well as on transformers, one stone mailbox and the ‘‘Calverton” sign at Gracefield Road.

The spray-paint extended to signs and a stone culvert along Gracefield Road, where a large ‘‘22 Krew” is visible. Also marked were signs on Clover Patch Drive and near the entrance to Orchard Center along Cherry Hill Road.

The markings appear to be gang-related but police are still investigating, spokesman Lt. Paul Starks said Tuesday. The incident is considered vandalism and damage to public and private property, police spokeswoman Lucille Baur added.

On Dec. 4, multiple street signs on the same stretch of Calverton Boulevard were spray-painted with a ‘‘TC$.” Those signs were replaced in early January, just before the latest spray-painting incident.

‘‘It’s very worrisome,” said Margaret Poore, who has lived in Calverton for more than 40 years and was one of the first people to report the incidents to police. ‘‘Whatever you want to call it, graffiti or tagging, it’s vandalism.”

Poore is also a member of the Calverton Citizens Association board of directors, which discussed both incidents at its most recent association meeting. Since then, other residents have since called police expressing their concern, said Dan Epps, board president.

Board members are worried the spray-paint is identifying gang or gang member activity in the neighborhood, he said. Epps, a 36-year Calverton resident, said he could not remember such a significant amount of spray-painting in the neighborhood.

‘‘We’re pretty tense about it,” he said. ‘‘We’re hoping police can really get involved with this so people can feel secure in the neighborhood.”

Police said last month ‘‘TC$” did not match any gang identifier they are aware of, and told Poore earlier this month they believe it was the work of an individual, not a gang.

Police are investigating if the incidents are related.

The Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation had to replace several street signs following the December incident and has been notified about the January incident, county spokeswoman Esther Bowring said.

Police have also contacted Graffiti Abatement Partners, Inc., which partners with the county on graffiti removal, about the January incident, Starks said.