FILE PHOTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat A tree branch was thrown through a window at the Pi Kappa Alpha house, formerly known as the Pi Kappa Alpha or PIKE house, as seen in this file photo from June 2003. A reward is being offered for information regarding the vandalism.

A $500 reward is being offered to anyone with information about reported vandalism to the Sigma Pi house, formerly the Pi Kappa Alpha or PIKE house.

The local house corporation, which is made up of local and national PIKE alumni and which owns the house at 1525 E. Drachman St. is offering the reward.

Eric Wulf, executive director of the Pi Kappa Alpha Memorial Headquarters, said it is unusual for a local house corporation to offer a reward.

"It's the first time I can recall this happening, but vandalism has never been such an issue," he said.

Vandalism incidents have included "PIKE" spray-painted on the outside walls, paintballs thrown at the house, and feces spread on the walls.

Sergeant Eugene Mejia, UAPD spokesman, said some of the incidents seem to point to former PIKE members who he said might be feeling resentment over losing their house.

According to Mejia and police records, there have been at least nine reports filed involving Sigma Pi members since April.

According to reports, a beer bottle was thrown through a bathroom window around 3 a.m. Sunday at the Sigma Pi house.

Sigma Pi members suspected former PIKE members, but had no proof, reports stated.

A half hour later, Sigma Pi members filed a report saying they'd been harassed by four former PIKE members.

Police were able to track down the four former PIKE members who told officers they had been sitting on the corner by the Sigma Pi house when Sigma Pi members came out and became confrontational.

One of the former PIKE members admitted to pushing a Sigma Pi member. The Sigma Pi member said he did not want to press charges.

The four former PIKE members told police they had not been the ones vandalizing the Sigma Pi house and did not know who was doing it, reports stated.

James Wie, Sigma Pi resident, said last week his chapter has not reported all of the incidents that have occurred since the fraternity moved into the house in mid-June.

Wie said Sigma Pi members are trying to ignore the incidents.

The Sigma Pi fraternity moved into the house after signing a three-year lease with the local house corporation.

PIKE members moved out of the house after losing their university recognition in January 2003. The fraternity was on probation for fighting when Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA) found alcohol at what was supposed to be a dry rush party.

The Pi Kappa Alpha national office later withdrew its recognition of the local chapter's charter.

The most extensive damage to the house occurred shortly after the recognition was withdrawn. The suspects broke into the house May 28-30 of 2003. Almost every window in the house was shattered, graffiti was spray painted on walls, trash was strewn throughout the hallways and a student's TV and fan were stolen. At the time of the incident, a former PIKE member still living in the house said he believed old PIKE members were to blame for the damage.

Wulf said there have been a few other cases of vandalism at PIKE houses around the nation after chapters were closed.

"The difference here is that the vandalism is ongoing," he said. "There is no precedent and we're concerned about the house and about Sigma Pi members."

Wulf said the Pi Kappa Alpha Memorial Headquarters and the local house corporation felt that Sigma Pi members should not have to deal with these problems.

"The alumni feel a responsibility to them and to future PIKE members," he said.

Wulf said his office has been talking to UA Greek Life for the past year about when PIKE could return to the UA campus.

"We will not return with this type of problem," he said. "We only want to come back when the school and the fraternity are comfortable, and that won't be in the near future."

Wulf said if PIKE returned to campus within the next two years, former PIKE members would not be invited back.

"They would have the right to petition for membership, but we prefer and expect 100 percent new members," he said.