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Crime & Safety

Oak Park Police Investigating Gang Graffiti

Gang-related signs discovered on garages and cars.

Spray painted gang-related graffiti on garages and cars have Oak Park police on the lookout.

Earlier: Graffiti up 70 Percent in Oak Park

Police believe the string of incidents that left property vandalized with red gang signs took place around Feb. 17 or Feb. 18. Here's a look at where the incidents took place:

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  • The overhead garage door of a home in the 100 block of North Taylor Avenue was defaced between 8:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. Estimated damage was $100.
  • The overhead garage door of a home in the 100 block of Wesley Avenue was defaced between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. Estimated damage was $100.
  • A Toyota minivan, a Toyota Matrix and a Toyota Prius parked in the rear of an apartment building in the 400 block of South Elmwood Avenue were damaged between 7 p.m. and 6:34 a.m. Total estimated damage was $3,000.

Despite the uptick in reported graffiti in 2011, Oak Park Police Det. Cmdr. LaDon Reynolds said gang-related graffiti is "not a usual occurrence" in Oak Park, adding that "the department is taking this seriously."

Graffiti may be reported by calling the village's hotline at (708) 358-5429. The Village’s Community Relations department provides Graffiti X, a cleaning solution, to property owners free of cost.

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