Carrboro mural painted over

Police want to know who hired 3 men to ruin the landmark

CARRBORO -- For five years people in downtown Carrboro have passed by a patchwork mural painted with phrases such as "Cops rock!" and "What if we gave a war and nobody came?"

On Tuesday, the mural on the side wall of the Jade Palace Chinese restaurant became a blanket of sea-foam green after three men said a man offered them money to paint over it.

"One part of it was something my nephew painted, and that meant so much to me," restaurant co-owner Jenny Chan said. "It breaks my heart. It's so sad to see it all destroyed so quickly."

The mural reflected the bohemian community: Weaver Street Market and Open Eye Cafe painted their logos on the wall, while others painted monkeys and musical notes.

Francis Chan, who owns the restaurant at 103 E. Main St. with his wife, told police he saw three men painting the wall Tuesday morning without his consent.

The men -- Joe Patillo, Greg McClain and Mark Brown -- told police a man who identified himself as Larry Hayes approached them outside the homeless shelter on West Rosemary Street and said he would pay them to paint the wall, according to a police report. He said he would pay them after the job was done, but the men told police he never returned.

The News & Observer could not find a listing in local telephone directories for a Larry Hayes in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area.

Carrboro police are investigating and haven't named any suspects.

"I don't understand why this person would do this without permission," Francis Chan said. "That wall is our property. You can't go defacing people's property."

Carrboro Police Capt. Joel Booker said if found, the suspect faces potential charges of a false pretense and defacing the property of another.

In 2002, businesses, individuals and families came together to paint the mural to benefit Club Nova, a local clubhouse for people with mental illnesses.

Individuals paid $20 and businesses paid $50 for a space on the wall. The project raised more than $1,000.

"It was to collect money for charity, and it was so pretty," Francis Chan said. "Now it's all gone. You cannot undo that."