Corbin offering $1,000 reward for information on graffiti vandals

A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of anyone vandalizing city property in Corbin.

Early Thursday, Corbin City Manager Bill Ed Cannon announced that the city is encouraging people in the community to come forward with information regarding a recent graffiti and vandalism spree in the city. Corbin leaders are offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

The decision comes on the heels of persistent vandalization of public and private property in Corbin.

"We’re serious about putting a stop to this. We get reports everyday about something new," said Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney.

"It cost us a lot of money last year. We spent about $3,000 fixing some of the same stuff last year in materials alone."

The idea to offer a reward began about a week ago after the initials J.R.B. were found spray painted on the back of the News Journal building located on Main Street. The back of downtown Hardee’s was spray-painted and the underpass on Roy Kidd Avenue had also been hit by graffiti vandals.

"We are trying to beautify this city with these projects like the Engineer Street Bridge and fixing up Rotary Park for everyone and it just takes one bad apple to ruin it," McBurney said. "We aren’t going to let that happen."

Downtown Corbin isn’t the only place where vandalism has been occurring. There have been several incidents of graffiti in Rotary Park and flowerpots on Engineer Street Bridge that have apparently been stolen. Graffiti has also been found on street signs in Corbin.

Although officers still have to leads in this case, police are patrolling day and night for the people responsible according to McBurney.

Anyone who wants to report information connected with these or other incidents can call the Corbin Police Department at 528-1122.