District will pay for tips leading to arrest, conviction of Piedra Vista vandals
Security footage shows 4 people on school grounds
- The graffiti included the number 3 1/2, but police are not aware of its meaning or significance.
- The district staff power washed the graffiti off the school building, stairs and signs on Monday.
- The superintendent says the district will prosecute the vandal or vandals.
FARMINGTON — Piedra Vista High School was vandalized over the weekend, and though the graffiti has been cleaned up, the Farmington Municipal School District is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the vandals.
The district “would welcome any information from student or community” about those involved in the crime, Farmington Municipal School District Superintendent Eugene Schmidt said on Tuesday.
Schmidt said the district would prosecute the vandal or vandals involved in the crime, which is still under investigation by the Farmington Police Department. Anonymous tips can be submitted to San Juan County Crime Stoppers.
Security footage showed four individuals on school grounds between 11:30 p.m. on Sunday and after midnight on Monday, but police spokeswoman Georgette Allen said no suspects have been identified.
Profanity, inappropriate pictures and the number 3 ½ were spray-painted on to the school building, Allen said. Police are not aware of the meaning or significance of the number.
The vandals spray painted exterior walls of the school, as well as on outside staircases and signs, according to Ted Lasiewicz, chief of operations for Farmington Municipal School District. Several eggs also were thrown at the building.
Lasiewicz said the district staff power washed most of the graffiti off the building, stairs and signs, and scrubbed the rest off with cleaners over the course of a few hours on Monday.
“That pretty much took care of it,” Lasiewicz said, adding that it’s “kind of sad that it happened, but we took care of cleaning it right away.”
Megan Petersen covers business and education for The Daily Times. Reach her at 505-564-4621 or mpetersen@daily-times.com.