Newport News police are asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect or suspects responsible for a rash of graffiti in the city since the beginning of the new year.

Officials say that since January, the areas hit include Denbigh, the 13000-15000 blocks of Warwick Boulevard, the area around Colony Road and Warwick Boulevard, as well as the area around Hiden Boulevard and Warwick Boulevard.

The graffiti has appeared on buildings, fences, dumpsters, utility vehicles and on the support columns under the I-64 overpass over Bland Boulevard. Detectives place the damage at between $15,000 and $20,000.

Police do not believe the graffiti is gang related.

Official say the graffiti is identified by several words including MADKID, MADONE esc, and most recently MYSTO.

Authorities say that, depending upon the amount of damage, graffiti can be a class six felony - carrying a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $2,500.

Anyone with information about the graffiti incidents is asked to call the Crimeline at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.