Graffiti spikes across Cloquet

The Cloquet skatepark is the latest vandalism location in the city after it was spray-painted with messages last weekend. It is one of many places - including businesses and bridges - found to be filled with graffiti the past two weeks, many of them with what appears to be the word "junk."

Cloquet patrol commander Dan O'Connor said police are investigating the property damage and working on development of a suspect and are looking for more information from the public. The police department issued an alert Monday afternoon asking for help and offering a $1,000 reward from a local business person for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the damage.

On Monday morning, Cloquet parks maintenance worker Karin Stedman was tackling the graffiti at the skatepark with a power washer.

It was a slow process, but she was having some success. It had taken about an hour of washing to fade out two words painted across the ramp closest to 14th Street. Stedman was working on the next ramp down, where someone had scrawled "paint streets, smoke trees, don't sleep" next to the stairs. A co-worker had gone to fetch some solvent, she said.

"It's time away from other things, including other parks maintenance," Stedman said. She discovered the vandalism at 7:30 a.m. Sunday and filed a police report.

Not far away, at the corner of Carlton Avenue and Third Street, a retaining wall was covered with spray-painted scribbles in blue and black.

O'Connor said police don't know what the symbolism is about but the graffiti tags have been in the Cloquet area for a year or two now. There were other phrases painted as well, including one phrase that is derogatory to police.

The police commander said it was unusual to see so many properties damaged in such a short amount of time. Most of the damage occurred in a rectangular area from Avenue B to Carlton Avenue and Second Street to 10th Street, with outliers like the skatepark not far away.

Graffiti is classed as property damage, O'Connor said. The seriousness of the crime largely depends on the value of the property, according to state law, with fourth-degree property damage classed as a misdemeanor and first degree (anything over $1,000) classed as a felony.

"It doesn't take long to get to $1,000 these days," he said.

Vandals also struck at Pinehurst Park the weekend of Sept. 12, breaking the glass on the doors to the pool house. O'Connor said officers are further along on that case as far as suspects, which they believe were juveniles. He doesn't think the two cases are related but asked that people call with any information.

Anyone with information can call the Cloquet Police Department at 218-879-1247, or send anonymous tips to [email protected], or DM the CPD Facebook/Twitter page. Tips can be also be sent via SMS by texting TIP CLOQUETPD and the message to 888777. Police ask that people do not tag or identify suspects on the CPD social media page.