Donors increase reward in Naperville racist graffiti case
Naperville Crime Stoppers and private donors have increased the reward offered for information leading to an arrest after racist graffiti was found spray-painted between a park and a school.
The larger reward, now $4,000, was announced Friday, four days after the messages were found to have been created between 7 a.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. Monday on a partition separating Cantore Park in south Naperville from Welch Elementary in Indian Prairie Unit District 204. Graffiti also was spray-painted on supply boxes for the park's baseball fields, police said Friday.
Police described the graffiti as "racist and gang-related," and leaders of the Naperville Park District and Naperville Police Department this week denounced it as unacceptable. The two organizations are conducting a joint investigation to determine who committed the crime.
"Spray painting phrases like 'White Pride,' gang symbols and other inappropriate phrases is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Naperville police Chief Robert Marshall said in a news release.
"Hatred and ignorance drive racist comments like this," Ray McGury, executive director of the Naperville Park District and acting chief of the district's police force, said in a news release. "I live in this community. I raised my kids in this community. I, along with my fellow Napervillians, have no toleration for this - none."
Naperville Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,500 and private donors are offering another $1,500 for information that leads to an arrest of whoever is responsible for the crime. McGury has committed $500 of that amount.
"Cases like these are often solved when the community and the police work together to identify those responsible," Marshall said. "I am confident with this cooperation we will identify the person(s) who committed this crime and hold them accountable."
Anyone with information about the graffiti is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (630) 420-6006 or www.napervillecrimestoppers.com. Tipsters to Crime Stoppers may remain anonymous.