Vandalism is costly and has cost Fresno City College approximately $7,000 in the spring semester alone.

“It’s not so much that the property suffers extensive damage,” said Lieutenant Richard Gaines of the SCCCD police. “It’s the cost of labor hired, with overtime, and the act of replacing that which is lost.”

Gaines said that one arrest has been made for arson, and that the police continues to work on the case. At the moment, Gaines added, it is hard to determine whether or not there is a connection between the fires and the graffiti on school property.

The vandalism seems to target, for the majority, certain divisions on the FCC campus, particularly Social Science, Business Education, and Fine, Performing and Communicating Arts.

Some acts of vandalism are committed during the day while classes are going on; others occur at night or during weekends when few people are on campus, according to police records.

“The restrooms are believed to be abused during school hours,” said Gaines, who added that these acts include littering and graffiti with black markers.

“It is the arson and major graffiti that we find during after hours and on weekend and vacation periods,” said Gaines.

Gaines urged people to be more aware and to report suspicious actions.