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BLM seeks vandals who defaced famous archaeological site

Washington City, Utah • The Bureau of Land Management is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of vandals who spray-painted graffiti at an important southern Utah archaeological site.

The agency announced the reward Monday. Officials learned through social media that a popular mesa and sacred site to local Paiute Indians in Washington City named Shinob Kibe had been vandalized with the words “Dog Town,” an offensive nickname for the city. Washington City is about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Keith Rigtrup of the BLM says local police investigated the site of the vandalism but were unable to find any leads.

He said the vandals did not paint over Native American hieroglyphs in the area. The mesa is often praised by hikers for its solitude and panoramic views.

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