SOUTH BEND — When Tim Rankert pulled up behind his hardware store Thursday morning, the spray-painted symbols were hard to miss.

In bold black paint were the words and symbols common to the "Gangster Disciples" gang, along with other nonsense.

But Rankert's West Side Hardware at 3622 W. Western Ave., wasn't the only building tagged. For nearly six blocks, from Kenmore Avenue to near Navarre Middle School, similar graffiti marks were splashed on the walls of restaurants, a coin-operated laundry and a floral shop.

Despite the gang-related symbols, Rankert is pretty sure the damage wasn't done by gang members bent on marking their turf.

Security cameras mounted outside the store caught a group of four young persons, three appearing to be middle-school students and the fourth a child perhaps 8 or 9 years old, as the culprits.

What's more, the tagging was done shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday, as the kids apparently were on their way to school.

Rankert reported the graffiti and his security tape to police, but found the images were too grainy to specifically identify the four suspects.

Still, Rankert and other business owners along Western Avenue are hopeful the video will lead police to finding the four suspects and maybe help to clamp down on an ongoing problem.

"It makes me mad that they'd do this," Rankert said. "We've painted that area back there and tried to keep it nice, then they come by on their way to school and just do this."

Tim Hudak, president of the West Side Democratic Club, stopped by Rankert's to view the damage after hearing about the graffiti binge. He said he'd like to see the city prohibit the sale of spray paint to minors, and to require an ID for anyone who buys the paint.

"We already require an ID for cold medicine, why not spray paint?" Hudak said.

Rankert said he's already imposed a spray-paint ban in his hardware store, refusing to sell to minors. He said he'd support a ban because teens and spray paint have only been bad news for the city.

"It's hurting businesses, it's hurting the community," said Rankert, who estimated it would cost $300 to repaint the back of his building. "I just don't know why someone would get up early, in the rain, to spray-paint buildings on the way to school."

Staff writer Dave Stephens:
dstephens@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6209