Georgia monument honoring Revolutionary War major general defaced with googly eyes

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Authorities in Georgia are on the hunt for the vandal who defaced a historic monument with a pair of googly eyes.

The City of Savannah wrote on Facebook that the googly eyes appeared Thursday on a statue of Nathanael Greene, a Revolutionary War major general who served with George Washington. The nearly 200-year-old monument marks the area where Greene's remains lie in repose, according to the Georgia Historical Society.

While the googly eyes might seem like a harmless prank, the city wasn't impressed.

"It may look funny but harming our historic monuments and public property is no laughing matter, in fact, it's a crime," the city wrote on Facebook.

Those responsible could face a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge, according to local media reports. If damage to the monument exceeds $500, the perpetrators could instead face a felony charge.

Despite the city's stern warning, its Facebook page was flooded with jokes about the googly eyes. One commenter lamented that the monument was "vandaleyesed," and another asked when the "Googly-Eyed Statue Festival" would take place.

Anybody with information about the crime is asked to contact the Savannah Police Department.