Videos show vandal spray painting library [The Lebanon Reporter, Ind.]

March 21--Video surveillance of the vandal who spray painted the Lebanon Public Library strongly resembles Sandra K. Harlan, 47, Lebanon, who was arrested Wednesday for that and other crimes.

Among evidence police said they have compiled against Harlan is the video; and a "Dizzy Doggie" plush chew toy that was found, wrapped to a paving brick with clear package tape, at a Lebanon beauty shop.

Harlan, 1300 block of Brooke Drive, asked for a lawyer after she was arrested Wednesday morning at her home, Lebanon Police Det.Sgt. Tony Bayles said.

"I have no idea about the possible motive," he said.

Neither does the owner of Cuttin' Loose hair salon, 304 S. East St., Lebanon, where the dog toy taped to a brick was thrown through a window.

Shop owner Krissy Wilson said she had no idea what would have prompted Harlan if to do damage to the shop. Wilson said the suspect had never worked there, nor had she been a customer.

The unusual projectile was discovered on the floor of the hair salon on Saturday morning when the shop was opening for the day. The window was still boarded up Wednesday.

"We had to order a window," Wilson said.

An initial hearing was held Wednesday in Boone Circuit Court, where Judge Jeffrey Edens scheduled Harlan's trial on one felony and eight misdemeanor charges for July 8. Bond is $5,000 surety or $550 cash. Four statues at the Key Bank building that were defaced by paint scrawls were purchased for $10,000 at an auction when items belonging to insurance giant Conseco, Inc. founder Stephen Hilbert were sold to cover his staggering debts, Bayles said.

For criminal purposes, the total damage ranges between $4,500 and $17,500; it could be much higher when repair costs are included.

"We will absolutely be requesting restitution including cleaning and replacement," Prosecutor Todd Meyer said in an email.

Police have assembled what they believe is overwhelming evidence pointing to Harlan as the vandal.

At least two people may have witnessed the vandalism, and one of those witnesses gave police a description of Harlan's car that led directly to her arrest.

Shortly after midnight Saturday, a caller to 911 reported a woman had spray painted a wall at Friendly City games, 100 block of North Lebanon Street. A "heavy-set" woman was seen vandalizing a sign at Trapp Sound & Music, 111 W. North St., at 11:56 p.m. Friday; both suspects were seen in or near red cars.

When the person who saw the vandal at the music confronted her, she fled in a red, 1990s-model Chevrolet Cavalier. One witness told police the car's license plate included the numerals 3, 5, and 7, Bayles said.

Video surveillance from the Lebanon Public Library shows a woman spraying a pillar, walking out of the frame for about 30 seconds, then returning to spray another pillar. After turning away from that, she returns to apparently put a finishing touch on the graffiti.

On a hunch, Bayles went to the Lebanon Wal-Mart and asked to see video surveillance tapes.

One camera recorded a woman looking over the spray paint display before selecting a can and shaking it as she walks away. Another shows that same woman paying cash for the paint and a "Dizzy Doggie" chew toy. A third, showed a red Chevrolet Cavalier entering the store's parking lot at 11:17 p.m. and a woman walking into the store. In all the images, the woman is wearing a blue D.A.R.E. sweat shirt, the same style and color as that worn by the suspect in the library video. Bayles obtained a copy of the transaction receipt.

While investigating a broken window at the Cutting Loose beauty shop, 304 S. East St., police recovered a chew toy identical to the one the suspect bought at WalMart, Bayles said.

An inventory code on the chew toy recovered from the beauty shop matches that on the Wal-Mart receipt, Bayles said.

He told day shift officers about the car and the license plate, Bayles said. Later Saturday, Officer Jeff Nelson saw a red Cavalier at Harlan's home on Brooke Drive, and noticed the license plate included the numbers 3, 5 and 7. Police checked the license and Harlan's driver's license photo.

Because damage at the Key Bank building totals more than $2,500, that crime is a felony, police said.

Causing damage totaling more than $2,500 is a class A felony; damage more than $250 but less than $2,500 is a class A misdemeanor; damage less than $250 is a class B misdemeanor.

County officials will probably leave compensation up to the courts, Commissioner Jeff Wolfe said.

"Typically, we'll leave it up to the prosecutor," Wolfe said. The commissioners, who are responsible for the maintenance and repair of all county-owned buildings, would support whatever decision is made.

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