Bel Air mansion on sale for $21 million becomes latest to get hit with graffiti

BEL AIR, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Bel Air mansion that's on sale for more than $21 million has become the latest high-end property in Southern California to be covered in graffiti.

The mansion's pink exterior, as well has the inside, has been defaced by taggers.

It is currently on the market for $21.5 million. The realtor for the property told Eyewitness News the house has been on and off the market for three years, and that most potential buyers want to tear it down or re-do it.

She first received word of the graffiti Thursday morning, and was notified the following morning that security had found five people inside the home, who were then told to leave. An unknown number of windows and doors were said to be broken.

It's not clear who is responsible for the damage and vandalism, but the realtor says it's the first time in the last three years that something like this has happened.

The Bel Air property isn't the first multi-million dollar mansion in the region to be hit by graffiti in recent weeks. Two such mansions in the Hollywood Hills have seen similar activity.

A once posh mansion in the Hollywood Hills has turned into an eyesore after it was taken over by squatters and taggers.

The owner of those two abandoned mansions has apologized to the City of Los Angeles over the vandalism.

John Powers Middleton, whose billionaire father owns the Philadelphia Phillies, is expressing regret over the situation amid his homes being continually defaced by taggers and taken over by squatters.

Middleton expressed his regret over the situation to the New York Post, saying he has now increased security with armed guards.

He also vowed to repay any taxpayer money used to secure his homes and promised to settle his unpaid property taxes.

Two suspects were arrested last week on suspicion of vandalizing at least one of those Hollywood Hills mansions.