The sign atop the 13-story building at Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue was tagged, prompting the city to open an investigation. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The owner of a historic art deco building at Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue that was marked by a notorious tagger in late January is cooperating with the city to get the graffiti removed.

The tagging is believed to have occurred overnight on Jan. 24-25 on the blue sign atop the 13-story, 182-foot-tall E. Clem Wilson building, located at 5225 Wilshire Blvd. The sign was marked by the tagger ENDEM, whose moniker has been scrawled on buildings, walls and bridges throughout Los Angeles, often in hard to access places high above the ground.

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the vandalism and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety is working with the building owner to have the graffiti removed. A spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, 5th District, confirmed the owner is working to clear the graffiti.

“We have spoken to the owner, we have spoken to DBS and we have spoken to the LAPD. An order to comply has been issued and the owner, in good faith, is working on a plan to get a contractor to get the sign fixed and just needs a little more time,” Yaroslavsky’s spokesman Leo Daube said. “It’s going through the proper channels to get it taken care of.”

Senior Lead Officer Tyler Shuck, with the LAPD’s Wilshire Division, said patrols have been increased in the area and officers are actively looking for taggers. He did not have any further information about the investigation into ENDEM.

“I noticed that area is starting to get peppered. We had some other graffiti around there, especially on the AT&T building, and now that classic building as well. We are getting extra patrols in there because we know that is a consistent location that is being hit,” Shuck said. “These are tagging crews and they feel like there are no consequences, and that’s why they are getting brazen. We are fully aware of it and are trying to catch them in the act. I’m trying to push that there is zero tolerance for this.”

It is unknown how the tagger accessed the sign. Daube said the building owner has also been ordered to take additional steps to keep the building secure.

Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD’s Wilshire Division at (213)473-0476. During weekends and off-hours, call the LAPD’s hotline at (877)LAPD247.