Another wall at Steckel Drive and Main Street, “right around the corner” of where the boys were arrested, also had been spray-painted, Sgt. Marshall noted.“This is a case of little kids tagging, mimicking what the gangbangers and taggers do. We don’t believe they are gang members or taggers, just kids being stupid,” Sgt. Marshall noted.The best way to catch gang members or taggers is, “in the act. . .lots of times people call in,” to report vandals and will often help identify them, but the arrest of the four boys Wednesday was via officer observation.“The most effective taggers move on very quickly. Where they tag is usually difficult to see and where the tagger can see someone approaching from a fairly good distance,” noted Sgt. Marshall.The arrested boys had their paint-stained hands photographed as part of the booking process.
Arrests made for vandalism, tagging observed by police
August 02, 2002
Santa Paula News
Four boys were arrested Wednesday when a Santa Paula police officer observed them using spray paint to graffiti a wall.
According to SPPD Sgt. Gary Marshall, Officer John Coffelt was driving down Main Street around noon when he observed the four boys spray-painting a wall on the 100 block of North Cemetery Road.
The area is easily observed from Main Street.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesFour boys were arrested Wednesday when a Santa Paula police officer observed them using spray paint to graffiti a wall.According to SPPD Sgt. Gary Marshall, Officer John Coffelt was driving down Main Street around noon when he observed the four boys spray-painting a wall on the 100 block of North Cemetery Road.The area is easily observed from Main Street.“Officer Coffelt arrested all four for vandalism and possession of graffiti devices, in this case spray-paint,” said Sgt. Marshall.Two of the boys arrested were 14 years old; the others were 11 and 13 years old, “just little kids actually; it’s too bad,” he added.
