GVPD continues graffiti investigation

Anya Zentmeyer

The Grand Valley Police Department are asking for leads in an on-going investigation involving widespread graffiti on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus.

Capt. Brandon DeHaan, assistant director of GVPD, said on Oct. 13 around 1:30 a.m., one of the student officers was doing rounds on campus when he spotted a freshly painted sign near Lake Huron Hall. It was the same red “revolution” stencil that GVPD had removed over 16 instances times last month, with damages resulting in over $1,000.

The individual responsible for the graffiti left a bicycle, backpack, the stencil and cherry red Rust-Oleum spray paint. The body of the bike is painted with a flat-black spray paint, and the handlebars are the same cherry red that police recovered from the scene. The seat of bicycle reads “Ross.”

Officers pursued the subject into the Ravines, but were not able to apprehend the individual at that time.

“Again, there was a fair amount of damage that needed to be cleaned up,” DeHaan said, adding that removal costs come directly out of the university’s general fund, and therefore is paid for by the student body.

“This continues to cost students money,” DeHaan said.

Though police still do not know the actual intent of the stencil, DeHaan said it’s possible it could be related to the campaign slogan used by republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on his web site. GVPD is currently using some of the items left at the scene for fingerprints, and are asking the campus community to contact the police department if they have any information.

“We’re asking our community to assist us in catching this person,” DeHaan said. “If there is someone in the community that can assist us with a lead, it would be most welcome.”

Anyone with information is asked to call GVPD at (616) 331-3255 or Silent Observer at (877) 887-4536.

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