Teen Admits to 81 Cases of Graffiti

A 16-year-old Oxnard youth on Friday surrendered to authorities and admitted to 81 cases of graffiti vandalism in the past month, police said.

Oxnard Police Det. Steve Vendt said the boy, who was not identified because he is a juvenile, began his spree of vandalism in mid-November, defacing walls, garage doors, power poles--more than 80 targets in all--throughout Oxnard. Authorities estimated the damage at about $2,000.

Police arrested the boy on an unrelated charge Nov. 30. At the time, according to Vendt, he was wearing a backpack emblazoned with graffiti. In addition, he was in possession of a marker and the nozzle from a can of aerosol spray paint, Vendt said.

The nozzles, or “tips” as they are called, are coveted among graffiti vandals for the patterns they make. The boy allegedly used his tip and other items to leave his moniker, or “tag” all over town.

Officers connected the boy to 81 cases of graffiti, Vendt said. “It’s not uncommon for me to arrest somebody who’s responsible for 50 or 60 tags. What’s interesting about this case is that he did a great deal of vandalism in a small amount of time.”

On Friday at 11 a.m., the boy came to the Oxnard Police Station and admitted to 81 counts of vandalism, Vendt said. After being cited he was released to his father.

The vandalism attributed to the boy has been cleaned up and he will be expected to pay $2,000 in restitution.