Recognize Venice's Vietnam War Memorial Vandal? There's a $30,000 Reward

Venice, CA — A graffiti expert has helped local authorities figure out the which tagger is responsible for defacing a cherished Vietnam War Memorial in Venice, and now police hope someone can put a name to the face to earn the $30,000 reward.

The Los Angeles Police Department today released security images of a Bay Area tagger whose moniker was spray-painted over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Venice heading into Memorial Day. Part of a notorious tagging group, the tagger allegedly slipped up and got caught on a security camera spray painting a van with the same moniker painted over the memorial in Venice.

"Just before Memorial Day of this year citizens in the area noticed additional graffiti done to the wall,” said Ramon Montenegro of the sheriff's Transit Policing Division. “Lead detective on the case, Detective Michael Thibodeaux, is a graffiti and tagging crime expert. Using several investigative techniques he’s been able to identify the main monikers on the wall that honors service personnel killed in the line of duty during the Vietnam War. “NONER”, “PHEB”, “SNAKE’, and “LITER”, appear to be the names that created the most damage to the wall."

He then tied the moniker to the Bay Area tagging crew.

The security footage shows a white or Hispanic male tagging a van with the same moniker that defaced the wall, Montenegro said.

"NONER may travel between the Los Angeles area and the Bay Area regularly," Montenegro added.

Last month, the City Council and Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved a combined $30,000 reward to catch those responsible for the vandalism.

Anyone with information about the crime should call Transit Policing Division detectives at (888) 950-SAFE, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.

City News Service; Photos: Los Angeles Sheriff's Department