Edwardsville police are investigating graffiti damage to three public buildings discovered first at the courthouse at 4:25 a.m. on Friday.
"BLM" - Black Lives Matter - was spray painted in three locations on the front of the courthouse building at 155 N. Main. The Edwardsville Township Building at 300 W. Park St. had three doors spray painted; the City Park's bandstand on South Buchanan also was hit.
Major Mike Fillback of the Edwardsville Police Department said officers will rely on video used either by the buildings targeted or area businesses and residences that may have captured suspects in the process of damaging the structures or fleeing the scenes.
He also asked anyone with information to call police at 618-656-2131 and ask to speak to investigations.
Fillbeck said criminal damage to state supported properties could carry felony charges, but depends on what the State's Attorney's Office ultimately pursues.
"Usually spray paint takes a lot of effort to properly restore...It doesn't always come off," he said.
Madison County Chief Judge Bill Mudge said the graffiti would be removed by the county's Facilities Department, and it was removed by mid-day on Friday.
"What a shame," Mudge said.
During the Judiciary Committee Meeting Nov. 6, Mudge said he hoped someone would be apprehended for the vandalism.
"For those of you that did not come into Edwardsville this morning, you would not have seen, unfortunately our courthouse has been vandalized," he said. "Some graffiti appeared on the courthouse facade and hopefully that will be removed and investigated and prosecuted if someone is apprehended for spraying graffiti on it."