Search continues for Sandy Springs vandals
As police continue to look for the vandals who spray-painted cars, mailboxes and signs in a Sandy Springs neighborhood, victimized residents say the cleanup effort is not as simple as erasing the graffiti.
Ramee Shalabi, 30, woke up Saturday morning to find crude sexual slurs scrawled on a Mercedes, Lincoln and Honda parked in front and back of his parents' house.
"We scrubbed the best we could, but it still left a smear," said Shalabi, a manager at the Varsity downtown. "They'll probably need to be buffed out or repainted.
"We've lived there 26 years and never had anything remotely like this happen," he added. "My mom couldn't believe it. To be greeted with cuss words and ..., the first thing in her head was how are going to get this stuff off before my nieces (ages 7, 6, and 4) show up. They come over almost every day."
Lt. Keith Zgonc, spokesman for the Sandy Springs Police Department, said there were seven incidents of property damage. The vandals painted cars, stone mailboxes, neighborhood entry signs and street signs in the area around the intersection of Dalrymple and Brandon Mill roads, Zgonc said.
They wrote racial and sexual slurs and painted a political symbol from the mid-20th century that is almost guaranteed to stir up emotions.
"There were a couple swastikas," Zgonc said, "but also there were some drawings" of a sexual nature.
Police canvassed the neighborhood but have made no arrests. Anyone with information should call the city's tip line: 770-551-3300.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
