A 17-year-old Lake Elsinore resident was arrested on Wednesday Apr. 11 for allegedly going on a four-month graffiti spree throughout Lake Elsinore.
Lake Elsinore teen recently arrested after a four month graffiti spree. (Flickr: Jamiecat)
After a lengthy investigation by the Lake Elsinore Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team, investigators determined the male juvenile was responsible for a swath of graffiti, Sgt. Raymond Nava stated.
“Graffiti has recently become a bigger problem in Lake Elsinore,” Sgt. Nava explained. “We feel we are making a significant impact with our task force investigations.”
The Graffiti Task Force is working diligently to crack down on graffiti vandals.
The Task Force is a group of resources combining Public Works, Code Enforcement, Parks and Recreation, Information Technology and the Police Department, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department press release stated.
Sgt. Nava added that most people who vandalize with graffiti have specific monikers which act like a unique signature or stamp.
“With the collaboration of the several agencies working together we are able through our investigations to find out who the unique signatures belong to and work to eradicate the vandalism.”
The teenage suspect who was recently arrested committed nine acts of graffiti vandalism with damages in excess of $1,500, officials reported.
The Lake Elsinore Police Department advises residents who see a graffiti vandalism in progress to call 911 or call the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency line at 951-776-1099.
Citizens can request graffiti removal by calling the Lake Elsinore Graffiti Hotline at 951-674-2701 or submit a request online at www.lake-elsinore.org.
Stephanie D. Schulte is a writer/photographer with SWRNN. She can be reached at stephanie.schulte@swrnn.com.
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this is not graffiti this is graffiti art. its an art of talent. when i see tagging with gang slogans that is graffiti. it takes a special talent to do this kind of art and i appreciate it when i see it. i love the colors and different styles used to create this art. i understand that its not right to do this art on private property unless allowed. i am not supporting what he did i am just supporting his talent.
Graffiti hurts us all. It devalues our property, inconveniences property owners, and costs our state and local governments a fortune to clean-up. Even the American icon Coke, yes, the Coca-Cola Company has engaged in graffiti. The USA Today was among the many publications to report that spray-painted graffiti advertising by Coca-Cola had appeared on sidewalks during the NCAA Men’s Final Four event. The graffiti was done with a commercial paint designed to hold up for several weeks at outdoor construction projects. The act was performed in violation of city ordinances. Is your neighborhood the next target? Let’s boycott Cke! Join me at http://www.DefacingAmerica.com and tell Coke no more graffiti. Graffiti experts and graffiti books all agree, graffiti hurts us all. Let’s work together to prevent graffiti vandalism.
The talent is clearly visible. Bottom line, this is not his property and people associate this with gang activity, thus reducing property values. Hopefully he would take this artistic energy to school and become a graphic artist or other creative media.
I appreciate the Graffiti Task Force efforts. Down with Coca-Cola.
My first thought when I saw the graffiti was, this person has talent. Which does not make it right to put his art on other people’s property.
Each of us needs to be responsible for our actions, even 17 year old artists.
If this young man is actually guilty of the vandalism (he should be the “alleged” vandal)it would be great if his punishment was to do some good with his talent. The schools pay good money to have their mascots painted on the side of buildings. He could teach other young people about his art, what inspires him and where it is appropriate to display this type of art.