Juvenile held for tagging sign, school

A male juvenile, 16, was arrested twice in two days for tagging, i.e., spray painting graffiti.

Security cameras observed the suspect tagging a city sign on Alamo Street by the west entrance of the police department at 10 p.m. Fri., March 3.

Lt. J. May and Sgt. D. Muehler left the building to go after the suspect and found him on the northwest corner of Tapo Canyon Road and Alamo Street as he was preparing to tag the city civic center sign.

The suspect had a spray-paint can and an etching tool in his possession. He was arrested without incident and later released to his parents.

The following day at 2 p.m., Simi Valley Police Officer Wigginton and his K-9 partner, Gero, were dispatched to Township Elementary School to investigate a report of tagging in progress. Two male juveniles there matched a description of the suspects. One juvenile, 17, was arrested for possession of marijuana and alcohol and for violating the terms of his probation. He was cited and released to his parents.

The second suspect, 16, was the same juvenile who was arrested for tagging near the police station the previous day. This time he was arrested for felony vandalism for tagging the school buildings and for possession of graffiti toolsHe was lodged at Juvenile Hall.

Residents can call the city's Graffiti Hotline at (805) 583-6444A crew will document and blot out the graffiti usually within 24 hours. According to state law, the parents of juveniles who commit such acts can be liable to pay for damages and court fines.