While residents this past week slept in their quiet Caruth Meadows homes, vandals went to work in their neighborhood. Armed with cans of spray paint, delinquents spent hours tagging the DART rail line wall near Skillman Street between University and Mockingbird.

The six-foot tall letters spell out “Bowzer Swank Geno TV.” Internet searches for those words bring up numerous graffiti websites and images of street art.

DART spokesman Mark Ball confirmed the letters were indeed graffiti and not street art. He added: “DART has a policy of removing graffiti within 24 hours of being notified. Our crews will get out there and paint over it as soon as they can.”

Sergeant Warren Mitchell, of the Dallas Police Department, said graffiti of this nature is considered a “Class A misdemeanor.” If caught tagging, vandals are arrested and placed in jail and could face fines.

Ironically, Dallas Contemporary presented a lecture at the Lochwood Library this past week about street art called, “Taking it to the Streets.” The show highlights the works of Los Angeles-based street artist Shepherd Fairey. Diane Sikes, the museum’s education and outreach manager, said the difference between street art and graffiti is “permission.” Fairey was given permission by the city and Dallas Contemporary to create “more than 12 murals throughout the city with a focus on West Dallas.” Visit dallascontemporary.org for more information.