Cleaning up after Griswold vandalism spree

GRISWOLD, Conn. (WTNH) -- The clean up is now on in Griswold after vandals spray paint several areas of town.

The offensive messages have some calling for a neighborhood watch to keep an eye on troublemakers.

Griswold's Youth and Family Services director once again finds himself on clean up duty at the skate park in Jewett City. Vandals defaced a place meant for fun.

"I guess you can kind of call it art in some spots," said Ryan Keogh, of Griswold, "but other spots people are just ignorant, I don't know. I don't know what to do about it."

The vandals, believed to be a group of kids, painted the offensive messages and images in the park and on buildings around town including a house on High Street.

Someone also shot up the scoreboard at the Little League Park with a pellet gun.

"I think it just gives the town a bad reputation, the kids that live here," said Noah Werling, of Griswold, "cause not everybody's a bad child."

Some messages, anti-gay and anti-Semitic, some sophomoric.

"Do you think they know what these symbols and everything else really mean," asked News 8's Tina Detelj.

"No and I don't mean to belittle the youth of America because I would like to think from a historical perspective they have some idea," said Annmarie Jodoin, of Griswold, "but I really don't think so, I think it's a way for them to vent."

The director of Youth & Family Services didn't want to speak to News 8 about the graffiti because he's spoken to us about the problem in the past. He says it is an ongoing problem and it goes in spurts. He's hoping parents get involved and teach kids they shouldn't be doing this.

Parent and community involvement are encouraged.

"I just had a state policeman at my house last Thursday who handed me a flyer," said Jodoin.

The hope is a neighborhood watch will help stop the vandalism and let Ryan Aubin put down the rags and get back to the business of keeping kids busy in a constructive way.