More Local

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
• Former Marine to serve two years in jail for killing Albuquerque robber
• Wilson-Pearce battle for U.S. Senate exemplifies party's disparity

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Petroglyph National Monument is the latest target of an ongoing battle between Albuquerque gangs bent on proving dominance, this time by vandalizing the hallowed and historic park with graffiti.

At least eight large basalt boulders at the southern edge of the escarpment were marred with gang initials, or tags, written in silver metallic spray paint.

It is unclear when the vandalism occurred, but monument Police Chief Matthew Fuller said residents in the nearby Parkwest subdivision off Lava Bluff and Parkwest Roads Northwest began reporting the damage late last week.

"Our neighbors of the park are very vigilant and very caring," Fuller said. "They notify us as quickly as possible."

By Tuesday, tags had been removed from all but three boulders at the top of the ridge. Monument Superintendent Joseph Sanchez said his staff was hoping to complete the cleanup by late today or Thursday.

"We're sending a message that we're out there watching, and that such vandalism won't be tolerated and will be dealt with immediately," Sanchez said.

No petroglyphs - ancient symbols carved in the rocks as far back as 3,000 years ago - were damaged by the spray paint, and no other lasting injury to the rocks was noted, Sanchez said.

Vandalism in the monument is rare but does happen on occasion, he said. But one neighbor said it was the first time she could recall seeing such vandalism at the south end of the escarpment.

Tags on the rocks read "TSK," short for Too Sick Krew, an offshoot of the West Side Locos gang. Both have been embroiled in a deadly four-year war with rival gang TCK, or Thugs Causing Kaos, that has claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including two children.

TSK graffiti has multiplied across the West Side in the past three weeks, an apparent response to law enforcement efforts to dismantle rival TCK and thus put an end to the gang war.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department launched a multiagency sweep April 12, arresting two TCK suspects in two separate gang-related homicides.

Mayor Martin Chavez on Saturday announced the Albuquerque Police Department was also stepping up its anti-gang efforts. The initiative netted 25 felony arrests, 110 citations, the recovery of two stolen vehicles and 59 grams of methamphetamine on Friday and Saturday.

Petroglyph officials said it was too soon to estimate the cost of the damage and cleanup. Sanchez said costs can add up quickly because the biodegradable cleaning process must not harm lichens and other native vegetation.

Care must be given, too, to the spiritual nature of the land. Some American Indians, he said, believe the area is sacred.

Sanchez said park archaeologists, cultural and natural resource experts, law enforcement officers and park rangers were called in to handle the cleanup process.

"We do commend the city of Albuquerque and its graffiti abatement measures, but graffiti to the monument goes a little bit beyond that," Sanchez said. "We're charged with the preservation and protection of the site for future generations."

Damaging monument property is punishable by fines or incarceration; heftier penalties apply under the federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act if it can be proved that the suspect deliberately intended to damage the petroglyphs, Fuller said.

There are no leads so far, he said.