Des Plaines Police: Gang Graffiti Comes in Waves

A recent string of graffiti reports in a Des Plaines neighborhood were the latest wave in what police described as a consistent pattern of vandalism over the last several years.

The incidents occurred sometime between Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 in a neighborhood that, according to residents, had not seen gang graffiti before.

The approximately 17 reports of gang-related graffiti occurred on the same block, stated Deputy Chief Nicholas Treantafeles in an email to Patch.

“I spoke with our investigations supervisor who stated that it was all Latin King graffiti, they possibly live on that block, and they were marking their turf,” Treantafeles stated.

The prominent gang graffiti in Des Plaines, Treantafeles stated, was from the Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters. Signs, building walls and garages are usually what are vandalized, he said.

“The graffiti usually comes in waves, such as what happened the other day,” Treantafeles stated. “It will stop for a month or two, and then a wave of tagging erupts.”

The total number of graffiti incidents has been relatively similar the last several years, and the majority occurred on the south side of Des Plaines, Treantafeles stated. In 2012, there were 135 reports of graffiti, in 2011, there were 124, and in 2010 there were 152. So far this year, Treantafeles stated, there were 45 graffiti incidents.

“As you can see, there isn’t a lot of difference over the last three years,” Treantafeles stated.