The search is underway for whoever is responsible for vandalizing several commercial buildings on the border of Middletown and the Town of Wallkill with graffiti last week.

City of Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano says roughly a dozen buildings on East Main Street and Dolson Avenue were hit with the spray-painted initials “B.R.” or random words and phrases such as “get money.”

“These are crimes against the community. They are meant to disturb the way of life to make people afraid,” Destefano says.

For neighbors, it’s an eyesore.

“We don’t go to their houses and put graffiti on their houses,” says Oscar Boria, of Middletown. “Why should they come over here?”

DeStefano says officials believe one person is to blame and that he’s confident the person will be caught. He says the damage on the buildings combined is estimated to cost thousands of dollars. The city DPW will help building owners clean up damage on brick and concrete siding at no cost, if necessary. Damage on painted surfaces in the City of Middletown is the owner’s responsibility to repair.

“I don’t understand why people would be doing something like this. We have cameras all over the city,” says DeStefano.

The mayor didn’t say if a suspect has been identified but noted whoever is responsible could face misdemeanor and felony charges as a result.

Neighbors hope the person is caught soon before any more damage is done.

“We don’t need that in this town,” Boria says.