Santa Cruz Vandal Arrested

Vandal caught spray painting Santa Cruz police cruiser

SANTA CRUZ -- A 24-year-old San Francisco man suspected of causing thousands of dollars in damage when he spray-painted and etched his monikers all over downtown was arrested early Saturday after he was caught tagging a police cruiser, officers reported.

Lt. Rick Martinez was tracing the vandal's damage through downtown when he was called to a bar at Locust and Cedar streets around midnight.

"He had quite the vandalism run during his visit to Santa Cruz," Martinez said, explaining that officers traced ______ "path of destruction" up Pacific Avenue to where he was arrested.

The bulk of damage happened in the city-owned parking lot on the 500 block of Cedar Street, where it's suspected Hall etched words in the windshields of a dozen vehicles.

He also is suspected of tagging two locations on Pacific Avenue, one on Laurel Street and using a metallic marker, "vandalized every single surface in the restroom," Martinez said.

While Martinez was inside the business dealing with rest room vandalism that had just occurred, a bar patron allegedly saw ______ vandalizing the Locust Street side of the building around midnight and flagged down a bouncer.

"When they come up on him, he's actually spray-painting my car," Martinez said.

Martinez said he saw bar security grabbing a man with a can of yellow spray paint in his hand and helped detain the man.

_____ reportedly had the can of spray paint, different spray paint tips,

markers, stickers with his tag already on them and a tool for etching glass with him when he was arrested.

"It's always nice when we catch one of these because they create so much damage," Martinez said.

_____ was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism for tagging the police cruiser. Martinez said it will cost more than $500 to get the yellow paint off the bumper, hood, left front quarter panel and grill of the car.

Additional charges may also be filed. ______ allegedly kept photos of some graffiti incidents on his cell phone, which detectives are taking a look at. Police ask anyone with information about the case call the Investigations Bureau at 420-5820 or 420-5995.