In the country's fourth richest zipcode, a town where the crimes are notoriously quaint, police are investigating whether a string of "Fuck the 1%" graffiti is simply the work of bored teenagers or a more organized protest like the Occupy movement.

The messages were found spray-painted in black on several homes, white picket fences and an Audi sedan in what CBS5 calls "a posh part of town." The "1%" reference clearly echoes the rallying cries of the Occupy Wall Street movement that most of Atherton's 7,100 residents probably interacted with through the national news back in 2011 and 2012, but not all of the graffiti was so specific or eloquent in it's message. Another tag simply read: "KILL PEOPLE."

CBS5/KPIX had the report from Atherton earlier this week:

Atherton authorities say they've contacted neighborhood residents to get clues about who could have done this; however, even the town's Vice Mayor didn't think much of it. "Most people think this is a one-time thing, but I wouldn't be surprised if security-camera companies are doing a lot of business right now," Vice Mayor Rick DeGolia told the Chronicle. "I think everyone's hoping this doesn't happen again."

Given the potential Occupy connection, local police say they've contacted the FBI, which will also be monitoring the investigation. While most of the area residents seem to think this is a one-time event, and any potential threats should be taken seriously until proven otherwise, there's something to be said for childish pranks getting so much media attention. Vandalism like this probably wouldn't elicit calls of "class war" from the paper of record if they happened in a town that wasn't home to people who literally want to secede from the poor.

Previously: Delightful Police Blotter Items From Atherton, California: America's Fourth Richest Zip Code
[Chron]
[CBS5]
[Valleywag]