Investigators Checking Security Cameras, Say Brackenridge Memorial Vandal 'Will Probably Be Found Out'
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It could cost more than $1,000 to clean a monument dedicated to veterans in Brackenridge.
Names on the monument date back to World War I. Recently, vandals spray painted the bronze and limestone that has been a centerpiece at Brackenridge Memorial Park for decades. It stood in the park to honor bravery and to preserve the memory of those who served.
"It really means a lot to our veterans from Brackenridge American Legion and the residents," says Frank Svitek, commander of American Legion Post 226 in Brackenridge. "I mean this has been here, oh, 70 years."
Recently, from the American Legion across the street from the park, Svitek could see something was different about the monument. He called Brackenridge Councilman Dino Lopreiato.
"About a week ago or so, Frank had contacted me and said he had seen a little bit of a glimmer shining in through on the monument," Lopreiato tells KDKA.
It was silver paint, and it was all over the monument dedicated to those who served in World War I, World War II and in Korea. The paint started down low near the ground on the limestone base and on some of the grave markers, too. There were many splatters of silver paint on the American flags that decorate the monument.
"Everything that was originally bronze has been spray painted," says Lopreiato. "Now it has silver tints everywhere."
He added it stretches all the way to the eagle that sits on top of the monument, approximately 10 feet above the ground.
Now Svitek is working to check security cameras in the area to see who might be responsible.
He says they are "checking cameras -- so whoever the individual was will probably be found out. They are just in the process of reviewing the cameras, and we have some cameras at the Brackenridge American Legion, and we are also reviewing [them]."
Local law enforcement is involved as well.
"We contacted Brackenridge Police," says Councilman Lopreiato who represents the 1st Ward. "Right away, they [Brackenridge Police] sent somebody down. We tried to figure out who did this. Apparently, they did it in the night."
American Legion Post 226 was already working on restoration plans for the monument, but now it will be much more expensive because they will have to remove all the silver paint from the bronze and limestone first. He fears that will end up costing them more money than they budgeted.
"We had already been in a process of getting it done. Now, this is going to cost two or three times more than what we allocated for," he said.
Councilman Lopreiato says there is a fund set up for people who would like to help pay for the restoration work.
Checks can be mailed to:
Brackenridge Improvement Group
P.O. Box 160
Brackenridge, PA 15014
