MUPD investigates Strickland Hall vandalism
Markings were found in the north stairwell and on benches.
Published Feb. 12, 2010
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Students glance at graffiti spelling "AGNO" on Thursday on a wall in the third floor stairwell of Strickland Hall. Several walls in the building were vandalized with spray paint, which maintenance workers covered up before noon.
The MU Police Department responded to a report of vandalism Thursday at Strickland Hall.
MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said the vandalism occurred sometime between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wednesday. Markings were found in the north stairwell of Strickland Hall and on a couple benches in the building. The markings were written in very runny black ink or paint, Weimer said.
According to the Missouri Revised Statutes, a person commits the crime of institutional vandalism by knowingly vandalizing, defacing or damaging any place of religious purpose or worship, burials or locations to memorialize the dead and any school or educational facility or clinic.
Institutional vandalism is a type A misdemeanor, unless the amount of damages exceeds $1,000 to $5,000, in which case it would be classified as a class C or D felony, the statutes stated.
Vandalism is not a rare crime on campus, Weimer said.
"There is nothing unique about this," Weimer said. "Unfortunately if you look at our crime statistics, we have had vandalisms before."
Weimer also said the department does not have a cost estimate at this time and the report is still under investigation. "Hopefully we'll find out who did it and we'll take proper action at that time," Weimer said. "Every time one of these is reported, we try to get it cleaned up."
According to MUPD's Campus Safety and Crime Report posted on its Web site, there was one report of vandalism destruction of property in 2008 and three reports in 2007. The crime report for 2009 has not yet been posted.