OXNARD : 5 Accused in Graffiti Spree Are Arrested

Four youths and one adult have been arrested in connection with the spraying of graffiti at more than 200 sites along Victoria Avenue and Wooley Road in Oxnard and Ventura, police said.

All five suspects, arrested Thursday, are members of two Oxnard tagging crews who police said participated in a three-day “battle” that began June 21.

The youths, all residents of Oxnard, were charged with conspiracy to commit vandalism and felony vandalism, and were released to the custody of their parents, police said. The one adult, Raymundo Ruiz of Oxnard, also was charged with conspiracy and is being held at Ventura County Jail.

Police said they are looking for two additional suspects--one adult and one youth.

“Everything that wasn’t moving, they hit,” said Detective James O’Brien of the Oxnard Police Department. Police found graffiti on trees, vehicles, buildings, walls, billboards, sidewalks, and a portion of the Ventura Freeway, O’Brien said.

Damage in Oxnard is estimated at $8,000, O’Brien said. No estimate has been placed on the damage in Ventura.

“One truck, a big white pickup at Victoria and Gonzalez (Road), must have had 20-some-odd tags on it,” O’Brien said. “It was just covered.”

In a tagging battle, he said, crews compete to paint the most graffiti in a given area. “Either the loser has to buy the paint,” he said, “or has to get rid of their name.”