Forest Service looking for vandals who defaced pictographs west of Bend

(Update: Adding Forest Service comments)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officials reached out for the public’s help Monday to find whoever recently vandalized some rock art pictographs west of Bend.

The vandalism to tribal pictographs in the undisclosed area was recently discovered and appears to have happened within the past month, Deschutes National Forest Public Information Officer Jean Nelson-Dean said.

They are asking the public for any information or tips that could assist in the ongoing investigation.

People who could help are asked to call the Forest Service’s tip line at 541-383-5717 and leave any information that could help officials identify a possible suspect or suspects, Nelson-Dean said.

Nelson -Dean told NewsChannel 21, "There is not much rock art on the Deschutes National Forest or in this area, so what we have is significant."

"The Forest Service is still doing a damage assessment of the site," she said. "That damage assessment will determine the possible level of criminal charges that will be brought by the (federal) Department of Justice."