14 cases investigated

EPHRATA - Ephrata Police are investigating 14 instances of taggings found either Saturday or Sunday.

Nicknames of unknown people were among the words tagged, but aren't necessarily considered gang graffiti, said Ephrata Police Chief Joe Varick.

The areas tagged include downtown Basin Street, Division Street, First Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Alder Street N.W. and south to C Street S.W.

The items tagged include Dumpsters, at least two buildings, trailers, alley walls, a large tank and a garage door. At least five of the areas tagged are businesses and one was a former business, he said.

The number of cases are considered "unusually high" for the town in the winter, he said. There's usually no tagging reported in the winter, he added.

"We have them more often when the weather is a little warmer," he said.

Police have photographed the tagged areas. They've also spoken with other police sources to learn the identities of the nicknames and about other gang issues.

"So far, we haven't had much results," he said.

Adding exterior lighting around buildings and parking lots are a few things residents can do to help deter tagging, he said.