Pocono News Section

Vandals Hit Kingston Businesses With Graffiti

Vandals Hit Kingston Businesses With Graffiti - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 9:03PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Monday, May 12, 2008 @ 09:03pm EST
KINGSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY- All along Market Street in Kingston graffiti was spray painted on businesses in an area that covered more than five blocks. Some of the businesses hit include the BP gas station and convenience store and Dagwood’s Deli.

Owner Brian Franklin said, "It’s a killer, it really is. We work hard on the building, keep appearance up for whole neighborhood. Nobody’s looking at our garbage, our dumpster. We try to take care of everything we can. My wife and I own this, no big corporation behind us. So when something like this happens, I bring my own power washer, graffiti remover, scrub brushes."

The only businesses not hit, like a security business and a nearby bar, had security cameras. It appears those who committed these crimes didn’t want to appear on the 6:00 news.

Franklin says, if and when the culprits are caught, they should share the joy of clean-up. "I think it’s a hand’s on thing. These guys must realize what they are doing and to the individuals they’re doing it to. Participating in the clean-up is a minimum. Community service - the punishment needs to fit the crime," he added.

Damages are in the thousands of dollars. Kingston police are Investigating and are not sure if it is connected to the graffiti seen recently in Wilkes-Barre.