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One Vandalism Case In The National Park System Resolved, Another Lingers On

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While one incident of vandalism in the National Park System has been resolved, agents continue to investigate a more high-profile, and wide-spread, case in which a woman used acrylic paint to create images on rock faces in parks across the West.

Joshua Tree National Park officials report that the Swedish-Portuguese street artist, Andre Saraiva, known as 'œMr. Andre,' has paid an undisclosed fine to the U.S. District Court for vandalizing a boulder in Joshua Tree earlier this year.

On February 27th, park officials learned that Saraiva had posted Instagram photos of his 'œwork' on one and possibly a second rock formation thought to be in the park. After an investigation, only one location proved to be within park borders, Joshua Tree officials say.

The man was subsequently fined an undisclosed amount that was paid on April 1st after he had returned to his home in France. Park officials were not immediately available to say why they would not discuss the amount of the fine.

Park officials are conducting on-going investigations into other incidents of defacing and vandalism of park resources. So far three juveniles have been charged and convicted of vandalism at Barker Dam and an investigation is targeting others of interest. Another person was recently convicted for paint vandalism at Indian Cove Campground.

Anyone witnessing vandalism in Joshua Tree is urged to report it to a ranger or by calling the park dispatch office at (909) 383-5651.

Meanwhile, Park Service officials said Thursday that the investigaton continues into a case of vandalism that left painted images on rock outcrops in at least eight Western national parks. Though a 21-year-old woman identified by the Park Service last October as the prime suspect has been cooperating with officials, the complexity of the case has been behind the delay in charges being filed, according to agency officials.

The case was brought to public light a bit earlier in October by bloggers who tracked the crimes via photos on an Instagram account that documented paintings scattered throughout the park system. National Park Service investigators confirmed that images were painted on rocks and boulders in Yosemite National ParkDeath Valley National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park, all in California; Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado National Monument, both in Colorado; Crater Lake National Park, in Oregon; Zion National Park and Canyonlands National Park, both in Utah.

Alternate Text

The woman used the nom de plume "creepytings" on her Social Media accounts that displayed some of her images. With strokes of blue, white, brown and red paint, as well as markers, she sketched faces for all to see. A bald-headed face with a snake for a tongue was apparently painted on a rock near the Mist Trail in Yosemite. Another of a blue-haired dude appears on an outcrop with Crater Lake in the distance, while another face -- with zig-zagging lines not unlike those you might see on prehistoric rock art -- is said to have been placed on a rock atop Telescope Peak in Death Valley.

Comments

"The woman used the nom de plume 'creepytings' on her Social Media accounts that displayed some of her images. "

_______________________

"Nom de guerre" would be a more accurate term ...


I know I can't be the only one to be frustrated with the glacial pace of the "complex" creepygirl case.


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