Vandals target area deli

Friday, October 13, 2006

Greencastle police are investigating two acts of vandalism that occurred in town this week -- one of them at a local sandwich shoppe near DePauw University.

After arriving for work on Thursday, employees at Hank's Deli on Washington Street noticed someone had spray-painted graffiti on one side of the business.

In a second, perhaps connected incident, someone painted similar marks on a billboard on South Jackson Street, near the intersection with Veterans Memorial Highway.

Hank's employee Casey English noticed the words "Feel Nice" painted on the side of the business Thursday morning and then called the BannerGraphic to report it.

Covering a large portion of the backside of the building, the word "nice" was spelled out in block-like letters using black spray paint.

English said she called the restaurant's manager first, and also notified the Greencastle Police Department of her findings.

Officer Terry Eastham responded to the scene, and along with English was able to find more spray paint on two sides of the deli's trash dumpster. The same words were painted there.

According to Darlena Capps, another Hank's employee, the spray paint was not on the building or dumpster when they closed the shop down Wednesday afternoon.

The message painted on the side of Hank's is similar to one on a billboard located near Victorian Day Spa on Jackson Street. Restaurant staff say they believe the messages are not gang related but was just someone with too much time on their hands.

Workers from the DePauw's physical plant came to repaint the wall due to the fact that the university owns the restaurant.

No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call GPD at 653-2925.

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