INDIANAPOLIS — More than 50 vehicles were vandalized in a downtown parking garage leading to police asking for the public’s help in catching the vandal responsible.
Photographs of the alleged vandal released by Indiana State Capitol Police show what appears to be a female with long hair and a stocking cap walking between parked cars while spraying a line of spray paint alongside the car doors.
The incidents occurred on Friday, Feb. 2, in a parking garage off Washington Street in downtown Indy.
”It does appear to be just random destruction of property and we’re hoping to find the person or people responsible very soon,” said ISP Sgt. John Perrine.
Perrine said they were fortunate to get the pictures from a vehicle that captured pictures of the suspect tagging the car on a 360 camera.
Jodi Smith said she was the first person to report the vandalism after she returned to find her car spray painted Friday around 2 p.m.
”I said, ‘Dan, something is all over the side of my car,'” Smith said. “And, of course, went up to try to rub it and realized it was spray paint.”
Smith quickly realized she wasn’t the only victim.
”As we drove down the three floors I counted about 30 cars and I heard there were 50 that were tagged,” Smith said.
From her vantage point, she said it seemed like the vandalism was random.
”The car next to me was tagged, the car next to that was tagged and then there were a couple of blanks,” Smith said.
She reported the vandalism to her car to Capitol Police, who are in charge of the garage and other nearby state grounds.
”They have patrol elements that are out and about throughout the day but they have a lot of ground to cover,” said Perrine.
Perrine said multiple similar calls started to come into 911 as more people realized their car had been tagged.
”I don’t think it took long for the Capitol Police officers to realize we had a large-scale vandalism on our hands because they could see it with their own eyes,” Perrine said.
FOX59/CBS4 crews went to the garage Tuesday and found a few cars that still appeared to have the white spray paint from the Friday incident.
Smith said her mechanic was able to save her hundreds. He got the spray paint off using mineral spirits and a rag. She recommends others try this before going to their insurance or a body shop.
Police ask anyone who recognizes the suspect in the photographs to call Indiana State Capitol Police at 317-899-8577.
”Hey if you know who this is, they need to be held accountable,” Smith said.
Citizens can also remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward if they call Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS.
Eric Graves contributed to this report.