State Police Need Tips in Vandalism of Oregon Coast Landmark

Published 09/24/2016 at 6:21 PM PDT - Updated 09/24/2016 at 10:21 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Pacific City, Oregon) – Oregon State Police (OSP) is still deep in the investigation into the vandalism atop Cape Kiwanda on the north Oregon coast, working to identify those in a video shown destroying a rock structure atop the cape nicknamed Duckbill Rock.

However, OSP admits it has run out of leads in their attempts at finding the alleged vandals and they are asking the public for help.

“Anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspects, that they have not already reported to law enforcement, please call the Oregon State Police Northern Command Center at (503) 375-3555 or email tips to osppio@state.or.us,” OSP said in a press release. “All calls are kept confidential.”

Officials said the investigation is ongoing and there are no new developments to release at this time.

You can view the video again at this link, taken by David Kalas of Hillsboro. An enlarged still photo of the group is at the top.

The destruction of the structure was discovered in late August, and even though it is found in an off-limits area of Cape Kiwanda, it received sizable media exposure as many lamented the loss of this unique landmark.

Initially it was thought to be natural erosional processes that caused the formation to crumble, but in early September the video taken by the Hillsboro man and his friend was released publically.

Kalas and his friend reportedly asked the group why they had destroyed the formation, and they answered a friend of theirs had broken a foot jumping off it – and that they were “doing Oregon and the world a favor.”

That answer did not sit well with Oregonians, whose outpouring of anger and sadness over the incident was immediate, spreading around social media quickly.

Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) spokesman Chris Havel said this kind of vandalism did break the law, as defined by OPRD rules regarding “damaging of resources.” It is a class A misdemeanor and fines begin at $435, but Havel said the fines could be up to thousands of dollars.

“It violates state parks rules and we take those violations very seriously,” Havel said. “We have cited for these things in the past.”

Duckbill Rock in 2000

Duckbill Rock in this decade

The rock formation when it was destroyed this year

More Cape Kiwanda below:

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