Vandals Strike Bowie City Hall, City Vehicles

Originally posted June 25, 2013. 

Bowie’s City Hall and several city vehicles were vandalized early Monday morning with spray painted fish symbols over laying crosses.

A security officer at Harmony Place apartment complex called Bowie police just after 3 a.m. Monday to report he’d observed disorderly conduct at the Bowie Senior Center.

The security officer told police that he witnessed two suspects arrive at the senior center in a burgundy Chevy Astro-style work van. The officer saw one suspect exit the vehicle and witnessed him or her “paint a symbol resembling a cross overlaid with a fish on numerous City of Bowie vehicles.”

When the suspects realized they were being observed by the security officer, they fled the scene eastbound on Route 50.

While investigating the incident further, police also found several city vehicles located at City Hall were vandalized with the same symbol, as well as the four sandstone pillars in front of the building and some areas on the back of the building.

Police searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspects and were unable to lift any fingerprints from the crime scenes. 

The graffiti has been cleaned up from most vehicles, though some remains on the sandstone at City Hall.

According to Una Cooper, communications coordinator for the city, staff is waiting on removal instructions from the company that installed the sandstone to prevent staining or permanent damage to the surfaces.