Three Arrests Made In Manito Vandalism

Thu., May 7, 1998

Amy Scribner Staff writer

City officials are hoping three arrests after a graffiti spree at Manito Park over the weekend will deter future vandalism.

Three teenage boys were cited for malicious mischief Friday night after police found them with spray paint on their hands.

A 17-year-old and a 15-year-old were released to parents, while 18-year-old David C. Nichols was arrested for drunken driving and malicious mischief.

Police spokesman Dick Cottam said he hoped the arrests would discourage would-be vandals, who usually become more active in the summer months.

“You can look at the school calendar and see certain times of the year seem to be more susceptible to it,” said Mike Stone, special operations manager for the city Parks Department.

Several neighbors and a private security guard at the conservatory called police about 11:30 p.m. Friday to report activity at the park. COPS volunteers patrolling the area spotted the spray paint and also called.

Officers found graffiti on a contractor’s truck, a Dumpster enclosure in the lower park and on the back door of the Park Bench restaurant. They also found tagging on a sidewalk near the playground.

Stone said he didn’t know how much repainting would cost the city.

“It’s not going to be very significant, I don’t think,” he said. “Even this spring we’ve had considerably worse.”

Manito has been the site of spray painting several times this year, including anti-semitic messages on New Year’s Eve and sprayed on the Duncan Gardens greenhouse during Passover, said parks operations division manager Taylor Bressler.

While the latest damage to Manito may be small, this incident is one of the few times an arrest has followed, which may cause others to think twice before tagging.

“It’s great they caught them,” said Stone. “Especially if they’re linked to other incidents.

Cottam said it wasn’t known if any of those arrested were involved with another South Side spree the night before.

The park will be patrolled by private security guards in the summer months, Stone said.

“We try to keep tabs on it,” said Stone. “Manito is a pretty large area. Luckily, this time we had conscientious residents.”

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