Police urging residents to report any suspicious activity
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
New Garden Township Police are urging residents to be vigilant and report any information about a recent spike in gang-related graffiti in and around the township.
A sudden increase of gang-related graffiti has prompted New Garden Township Police to urge victims to notify authorities immediately and then remove the graffiti to discourage future incidents.
Police said they are investigating several incidents that occurred Wednesday in New Garden as well as Kennett Township. According to a news release, the graffiti appears to be from members of the Viking street gang and targeted at a rival group, the Sur 13s or Surenos.
The graffiti, which is threatening in nature, may stem from a recent guilty plea in a gang-related double homicide that occurred Dec. 3, 2011, at an outdoor party, the release said. Cuahuctemoc Bedolla, 27, and Jose Rodriguez, 29, affiliated with the Viking gang, were fatally stabbed at the hands of a group linked to the rival Sur 13s. Twelve defendants were eventually charged in the killings; nine have pleaded guilty and three are awaiting trial, said Chester County Assistant District Attorney Andrea Cardamone.
Police said the following locations were targeted: the 1000 block of Newark Road, the 1500 block of Baltimore Pike, and the 700 block of Penn Green Road, all in New Garden Township; and the 100 block of Scarlett Road and Hillendale Road, on the bridge east of Scarlett Road, in Kennett Township.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 610-268-2907, ext. 222.
