National Park Uses Security System to Identify Vandals

Death Valley National Park is investigating an incident that left the park vandalized and an endangered animal dead.

A reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of three men who broke into the Devils Hole area of the national park. It was there that the three men vandalized the area by discharging a firearm and swimming in the warm spring that nourishes an endangered species of pupfish. At least one pupfish died.

The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nye County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident. The park’s surveillance system has been of great help to the authorities throughout the investigation.

Surveillance footage shows three men driving an off-highway vehicle around a secured gate at the Devils Hole parking lot. The men shot at signs, the locks on two gates and a motion sensor on the security system, discharging the firearm at least 10 times. One of the men swam in the spring. Evidence of alcohol was found inside the area.

Although the men attempted to dismantle the security system by shooting at it and removing cables from two cameras, parts of the system continued to function.