Vandals at Fulwood Park caused an estimated $1,500 in damage over the weekend when they wrecked a bathroom and spray-painted graffiti in several areas of the park.

A caretaker for the park arrived at work at 6 a.m. Monday to find the damage. Billy Trevena noticed that the bay door on the park’s barn had graffiti painted on it. Then, he walked in front of the Syd Blackmarr Stage and found more graffiti painted there.

“I walked into the new bathroom and found the lavatory cocked up and then when I went into the handicap stall, there was no commode,” Trevena said.

The vandal(s) had ripped the toilet out of the floor and slammed it against a nearby wall.

Cal Carpenter, the City of Tifton’s director of Public Works, said that officers with the Tifton Police Department filed a report on the incident. He said officers were going to pick up their regular patrols of the park, especially on the weekend.

“If we catch them, we might see if we can put them on the back of a garbage truck for a year,” Carpenter said.

The culprit(s), if arrested and convicted, could face stiffer penalties if the charge of gang-related activity applies.

Carpenter said it is frustrating to keep having to make repairs and paint over graffiti. The toilet alone will cost $300-$400 to replace and install.

“We could have done some park improvements, and now we won’t have that money to spend,” Carpenter said. “It comes from our supply budget.”

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.