In the latest puzzling vandalism act to strike Willow Glen since late last year, someone splashed primer paint on a utility box covered with a colorful mural of parrots nesting in palm trees under a tropical sunset.

The vandalism occurred sometime late the night of Aug. 25 at the corner of Meridian Avenue and Dry Creek Road. But the damage was quickly undone two days later when an artist painted the same mural again.

Until then, it was eight months since that utility box and half a dozen other painted ones throughout District 6 were vandalized, sometimes more than once.

Some residents are speculating that the art box vandal could be the same person who cut down 46 newly planted trees along Meridian Avenue. In late July someone sawed off 23 Chinese fringe and yew pine trees on one side of Meridian late at night; several weeks later, 23 trees on the other side of the street met a similar fate.

All of the vandalized utility boxes were part of the San Jose Art Box Project, which gives privately donated money to artists to paint the boxes.

The office of District 6 San Jose Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, who has sponsored 15 of the project’s art boxes, has an outstanding $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandal or vandals.

Julia Baum can be reached at jbaum@bayareanewsgroup.com.