Graffiti Vandal Hits Tulsa's Brookside

They're quickly becoming Tulsa's most notorious graffiti vandals and they're getting bolder. Late Monday or early Tuesday morning, they spray painted their trademark logos on 3 Brookside businesses.

Tuesday, October 3rd 2006, 10:36 am

By: News On 6

They're quickly becoming Tulsa's most notorious graffiti vandals and they're getting bolder. Late Monday or early Tuesday morning, they spray painted their trademark logos on 3 Brookside businesses.

As News on 6 business reporter Steve Berg explains, it's more money out of merchants' pockets.

In some circles, it's called street art. Not to Brookside lunch-goer Mike McKinney. "It's definitely not art. There are some graffiti artists out there who do amazing work, but there's a place for their work."

It is the same symbols or logos that were spray painted just last week in downtown and Cherry Street. El Norte, Bebop, and Wayco. The El Norte one also usually has the initials CTD. But this time they've gone from vacant buildings and the sides of buildings, to more prominent spots, high up on the front of buildings.

"Obviously they've got some abilities, it's just sad that they choose to deface some nice properties." Jeff Stunkard owns a business in Brookside and would like the graffiti taggers to remember their pastime is costing other people money. "As a small business owner, you don't have a lot of funds to go around, and it's going to cost Senor Tequila's and whoever else has to deal with repairing it money that they probably don't want to spend or don't have."

As far as Tulsa Police are concerned, it's vandalism. Police say their hands are full with violent crime, but that a chronic nuisance will merit a response. This appears to be another step closer.

Tulsa Police tell the News on 6 that any vandalism with damage over $2,500 is a felony.