SILER CITY, N.C. — Graffiti is stealing the charm of one small town with police in Siler City worried that some big city problems are heading their way.

In the last couple of months, police have found graffiti in neighborhoods, city parks and many other places.

"It's so hard to catch them because they do it under the cover of darkness when no one is around," said Maj. William Harman.

More than three dozen homes and businesses have been vandalized. Police don't think it's just a teenage prank.

"We've had 18th street, crips, bloods and 13th street," Harman said.

Even though graffiti seems to be all over town, police say they are not ready to say Siler City has a gang problem.

"I can't say there's not a gang in Siler City, but we don't have problems big cities do," Harman said.

Harman says officers haven't seen the crime typically associated with gangs. Neither have many residents.

Even though it's quiet now, police worry that could change.

"With Greensboro, Durham and Raleigh being so close and they have gang problems, we want to keep the problem from growing in Siler City," Harman said.

So, police keep an eye on the signs -- cleaning them up when possible.

Chatham County Crimestoppers is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest.

If you have any information, call the sheriff's office or Siler City police.