Vandalism up on Western Slope public land

Federal officials say they can't explain a spike in vandalism on public land on Colorado's Western Slope, including graffiti near prehistoric fossils in Fruita.

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported Saturday that the Bureau of Land Management's northwest district, covering about 5 million acres throughout Colorado, has had five major vandalism cases since September. Spokesman Christopher Joyner says the district usually only sees one case annually.

The recent cases include sexually suggestive spray-paint at the Fruita Paleo Area trail head that barely missed a dinosaur bone. Authorities say someone also recently painted parts of a bridge that is an access point to the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness. In another case, someone tagged a toilet at Escalante Canyon.

Joyner says it's hard to know the cost of the vandalism and clean-up time.