Elmhurst Serial Spray-Painter's Secret Silver Word Revealed

The secret silver word is ...

Search.

Patch obtained an Elmhurst Police Department report on the first two incidents of silver spray paint graffiti and found out the secret word is "search."

Patch requested the documents under the authority of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and is waiting to receive additional reports on subsequent complaints of spray-paint vandalism.

The report obtained Wednesday details two separate incidents of graffiti discovered Feb. 25, one on a fence near the corner of Columbia Avenue and Willow Road and the other on the pedestrian underpass at North and Emroy avenues.

According to the report, an "unknown suspect(s) sprayed painted "SEARCH" with silver paint on (redacted) wooden fence ... (redacted) stated he didn't think the graffiti was a "big deal" until he spoke to neighbors who thought a police report should be conducted."

The officer then "canvassed the area, and located the same graffiti; "SEARCH" in silver paint on the North Ave/Emroy Ave pedestrian underpass ramp," the report said.

Elmhurst Deputy Police Chief Dominic Panico had said, via an email sent by the department, that he would not disclose the secret word.

"Per Deputy Chief Panico, the details in graffiti incidents will not be released," the email said.

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