Two juveniles were taken into custody and lodged at the Arrowhead Juvenile Center Tuesday after a report of graffiti activity on Maple Street in Cloquet. An additional youth was released to the custody of a parent.
According to Assistant Cloquet Police Chief Terry Hill, an anonymous caller tipped police off to the activity at approximately 4:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
Officers located three youths in the area meeting the description given by the caller, and in their possession were red and black paint markers matching the graffiti painted on a washing machine and garage wall in the alley along Maple Street.
Hill said the youths admitted to being responsible for other graffiti in the area as well, and charges are pending against them.
The graffiti was only the latest in what Cloquet Police say has been a rash of graffiti painting that has stretched all the way across Cloquet and as far west as the Fond du Lac Reservation.
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According to Hill, the department has received "numerous reports of graffiti throughout the community" over the past six weeks or so.
"The graffiti has appeared on garage doors, stop signs on businesses and under bridges," said Hill.
Antiques Off Broadway has reported being hit by graffiti painters twice in recent weeks.
Hill stated Cloquet Police have been "very active" in pursuing the perpetrators of the graffiti painting spree, and he added law enforcement patrols have even been out on foot and bike patrols in their effort to catch the vandals in the act.
Anyone with additional information to report should to contact Cloquet Police at 879-1247.
