CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) – For the third time in less than a week, an elementary school in Chula Vista is having to clean up graffiti on campus.
Chula Vista Police said staff at Camarena Elementary School (1650 Exploration Falls Dr.) notified them on Wednesday morning of graffiti that was found in the back of the school before students arrived.
Wednesday’s discovery came two days after the Chula Vista Elementary School District and school staff added security cameras and hired a security guard to patrol the campus.
CVESD officials said the security cameras did not capture the incident that was reported Wednesday.
- RELATED: Police investigate back-to-back vandalism incidents at Camarena Elementary School as hate crime
The extra security measures were put in place due to back-to-back days in which someone spray painted graffiti on various parts of the school, including walls, doors, and the front of the campus, which is not locked behind a gate.
According to police, the first reported incident was on Sunday, Aug. 18. The graffiti consisted of racial slurs targeting various races, swastikas, and other "concerning words and symbols," a CVPD press release said.
Later that evening, at around 11 p.m., CVPD officers responded after a custodian cleaning the graffiti at the school reported that they saw someone on campus, but officers could not locate anyone.
On Monday, at around 5 a.m., a local news team working on a story at the school found newer graffiti at the front of the school. Police believe the newer graffiti may have appeared between 11 p.m. after the officers checked the area and when the news crew found it.
Because of Wednesday’s discovery, additional security cameras were added to the back of the school.
Police are asking for residents in the area to check their security cameras in the event footage that would be helpful in the investigation was captured.
Chula Vista Police said they are investigating the incidents as felony hate crimes.
In a statement to ABC 10News, the director of communications for the Chula Vista Elementary School District said the safety and well-being of students and staff is the top priority.
"We are addressing this matter with the utmost seriousness," the statement said. "The Chula Vista Elementary School District is fully committed to ensuring a secure learning environment. We are taking all necessary measures, alongside local law enforcement, to prevent any recurrence of such incidents."
