Story By Mike Peters on Greeley Tribune
Posted on Wednesday, April 24 @ 03:28:49 EDT (347 reads)


A mysterious figure who struck silently Monday night near the University of Northern Colorado campus left only a little paint and a few slices of bologna at the scene of the crime.
The vandal could be dubbed “The Baloney Ghost” because of the nature of his unusual crime. However, police assured the public Tuesday that although the crime may not be solved, they don’t think anyone else is in danger of having their car baloneyed.

The phantom struck late Monday night by placing several slices of bologna on the hood and windshield of the victim’s black Toyota. There was also some illegible writing with white paint and black marker pen on the windows of the car.
Tuesday morning, little evidence was left at the crime scene — in the parking lot of the DeVille 17 Apartments, 1620 9th Ave. — except for one dried-up slice of bologna found a few feet from the victim’s car. The meat slice was not taken as evidence, and it is unknown whether fingerprints can be lifted from bologna.
Greeley police spokesman Sgt. Dave Adams said Tuesday that police have no other reports of bologna vandalism, and the incident does not appear to be gang related.
“I don’t have any knowledge of any gangs that use that medium of expression,” Adams said.
And UNC Police Chief Terry Urista said the campus is not experiencing a “rash of bologna incidents.” He assured students that their cars are probably safe from bologna and that this incident likely was as isolated as lunch meat in the Wal-Mart deli after a big sale.
The source of the bologna has not been easy to determine. Next door to the DeVille 17 apartment building is a 7-Eleven store at 16th Street and 9th Avenue. A clerk, Jeff Zimmerman, did a quick inventory of the store’s baloney supply early Tuesday and reported none had been sold the previous day.
It’s unknown whether other stores in Greeley have had a rush on bologna sales.
The owner of the baloneyed car did not want to talk about the incident and did not return telephone calls. She first told police there was $300 damage to the Toyota because of the white paint and ink markers, but by Tuesday morning, the marks had been washed away.
Should the Baloney Ghost strike again, don’t worry about damage to auto paint. Grant Guy, manager of Quality Paint and Body of Greeley, said victims should simply wash the car to remove any grease that may have been left behind by the bologna.