Bay Area Gets Swept Up In Creative Stone Painting Craze

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- A new treasure hunt trend has hit the Bay Area. People in Livermore are painting stones and hiding them in all sorts of places.

Livermore has taken on a new name, Livermore rocks.

Tara Chavez used to put painted rocks out in front of her shop downtown. But then she noticed they were disappearing, only to be hidden again and discovered somewhere else.

And the craze has taken off with thousands of people posting photos on a 'Livermore CA Rocks' Facebook page.

In fact, the Facebook page is one way to get clues as to where rocks are hidden.

Livermore resident Alexandra Codiroli said, "We have even seen rock painting parties downtown."

Even the Livermore Police Department had a rock delivered on its front steps, festooned with the police department's emblem.

And of course there is a courtesy rule: If you find one, keep it. But you have to paint another one and hide that one.