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$500 reward offered for information on vandalism

15 vehicles burglarized, buildings spraypainted

The Bayfield School District and Town of Bayfield are offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest in a vandalism incident on July 22 or 23.

Someone spraypainted 10 images on stucco walls at Bayfield Middle School, in addition to tags at the Bayfield water treatment plant and on street signs.

In what is believed to be a separate incident, someone broke into 15 vehicles early Thursday morning in Mesa Meadows, stealing a 9mm handgun and a laptop computer, among other items.

"Two cars had the keys in them," said Marshal Joe McIntyre, noting they he thinks the owners were lucky that their cars weren't stolen.

"At this time, we think the two instances are completely separate," McIntyre said. "But we don't have a whole lot of information."

"We are asking for the community's help," McIntyre said. "If you observed or heard anything out of the ordinary that night or early in the morning, please report it to our office."

The vehicle break-ins took place on Magnolia Street, Louisiana Drive, Olmstead Lane, Fox Farm Circle, South Street and Mesa Avenue between 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, and the early hours of Thursday, July 23.

The most important thing people can do to protect their cars and homes is lock them, he added. A string of cars were broken into last year in Dove Ranch, as well, when images of two youths were captured on a home security camera. In general, the youths are taking change and cigarettes, but if valuables are left in a car or truck, they can get stolen, too.

"It's a new era," he said. "It's not the Bayberry of the 1950s," McIntyre said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the marshal's office at 884-9636 or the county central dispatch at 385-2900.

A letter from Bayfield Superintendent Troy Zabel is on the Page 2 opinion section.