Detectives on trail of Waitomo graffiti vandals

Police are closing in on the people involved in last week's graffiti attack on the Waitomo Caves.

The popular tourist destination was forced to close last Wednesday after an overnight attack left the limestone caves scarred with obscene messages and splattered with white paint.

The attack, which outraged locals, came just weeks after a fire destroyed the ticket office, cafe, accommodation and souvenir shop at the cave's entrance.

Waitomo Caves guide Henry Richmond said more than 60 local people turned up the day after the attack to help remove paint.

Small splatterings of white paint are all that remain along passages not visited by tourists.

Mr Richmond said police told staff they were following strong leads in identifying the attackers, who jemmied open the locked gate and spent last Tuesday evening defacing the limestone columns and smearing graffiti, which included obscenities.

He said empty paint cans and brushes left by the attackers had been traced to a Taupo business. Police were trying to identify the purchasers through eftpos transactions, he said.

The news came as little surprise to locals he said, who had no doubt the action was done by outsiders.

"We knew it wouldn't have been someone local.

"Everyone benefits from the caves around here."

The caves are a leading source of employment in the area, in what Mr Richmond said was a close-knit community.

The sentiment was endorsed by Waitomo information centre manager, Fiona Hodson.

She said the attack had gutted locals, and warned those responsible to keep away from the area once they were identified.

"I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when they are caught."

Ms Hodson said while there had been some disruption the day after the attack, it had kept few people away.

More than 2000 international and national visitors were expected to visit the caves yesterday alone.

Mr Richmond said there was no link between the fire and the paint attack.

Investigators ruled out arson after finding a faulty refrigerator in one of the buildings was the likely cause.

And in a bid to ensure further acts of graffiti are not repeated, security guards will patrol the site outside working hours.