By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Pelham police are investigating nearly $10,000 in vandalism to the public bathrooms at Pelham City Park.

The incident likely happened sometime during the night of Oct. 10, but was not discovered by city officials until the morning of Oct. 11, said Pelham Parks and Recreation Director Billy Crandall.

“We noticed some things painted on the outside of the bathrooms, and went inside and saw how bad it was,” Crandall said.

In addition to profanity spray-painted onto the walls of the bathrooms, which are on the side of the park closest to U.S. 31, the police report also listed two bathroom stalls damaged in the amount of $8,000, a toilet damaged in the amount of $200, two mirrors damaged in the amount of $600, a City Park sign damaged in the amount of $100, an electrical switch plate damaged in the amount of $3, eight interior bathroom walls damaged in the amount of $1,000 and a small no-smoking sign damaged in the amount of $50.

The suspects also spray painted several pieces of equipment on the park’s playground.

Crandall said many of the messages spray-painted in the bathrooms contained references to the “Brown Pride 13” gang, and were critical of Alabama’s House Bill 56, which deals with illegal immigration.