TYLER, Texas — A Tyler neighborhood is on high alert after cars, homes and signs around Wall Avenue and 3rd Street were tagged with gold graffiti over the course of several nights.
Andy Erbaugh with the Tyler Police Department (TPD) says he doesn't know why this neighborhood, which is usually quiet, has been targeted.
"On November 17 and 18, we took three calls for vandalism," Erbaugh said. "Somebody had vandalized two different homes, one on the inside and then one on the outside."
The home which was broken into was vacant, but the inside was tagged similar to the other home.
"We have no information of why that area or those homes were targeted — there's nothing that stands out," Erbaugh said.
TPD received reports from two homeowners, but another house in the area can be seen with gold spray paint near its carport as well. Two cars were also reported to police as vandalized.
"It did cause a lot of damage in the process," Erbaugh said.
Erbaugh is unsure of how much property was damaged or the cost for repairs and replacements to what was tagged. But, he says, he is sure that the graffiti is not gang-related.
"This is odd," he said. "It just looked they were scribbling basically, lines and circles in random order, nothing appeared to be written."
Whoever is behind the crimes could face a criminal misdemeanor up to a felony for the vandalism, destruction of property and breaking and entering.
Erbaugh said there's not much information on this case; when officers spoke to neighbors they hadn't seen anything and those who had security cameras caught nothing on tape.
"We don't have a lot of information to go on," he said. "So, if anybody does know anything, they can call the police department."
If you have any information regarding this case, you can call TPD's non-emergency number 903-531-1090.