New Jersey State Police are investigating a bizarre act of graffiti in which monkey faces were painted all over a Salem County town.
Pictures of identical monkey faces in varying colors were stenciled on at least 20 different locations in Oldmans Township the night of March 26. The unexplained images were spray-painted on homes, cars, churches, businesses and bridges, authorities say.
“I think it’s disgraceful,” Oldmans Township resident June Strickland said. “It was on the bridge; the building on the corner; a friend’s truck down the street. They really hit the whole town.”
The stenciled chimpanzee looks identical to a drawing by an artist who calls himself "Kelden17" on his art collection page on deviantart.com.
It's unclear if "Kelden17" is plastering his signature stencil around this small New Jersey town ala Banksy. Or it could just be someone else who took the artist’s work and is using it to wreak havoc in Salem County.
“Everyone’s a little disappointed that something like this has occurred,” Eleanor Clemente of the First Baptist Church at Pedricktown said. “This type of display to me, is somebody really needing help or reaching out for help.”
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State police say they have a couple of people of interest but no suspects. Police are checking surveillance video and following any leads they get.
Anyone with information should call State Police Woodstown Barracks at 856-769-0775.
