Kent Police helped catch an alleged prolific graffiti vandal wanted by Seattle Police and found a few interesting items inside the man’s car.
In addition to four firearms and spray paint cans, the 31-year-old Tacoma man reportedly had a rappelling harness allegedly used to access tough to reach locations and a copy of the book “Vandal Squad,” written by former New York Transit Police Officer Joseph Rivera in which he describes his many years on a crew that targeted vandalism and his efforts to impact career taggers.
“We are assuming that this suspect has been studying strategy to get away with his crimes,” according to Kent Police.
A Seattle Police detective called Kent Police on Nov. 6 to request backup for a high-risk traffic stop, according to a Nov. 13 Kent Police news release. He was following a vehicle driven by a Tacoma man wanted for multiple and extensive incidents of vandalism via graffiti.
The detective had probable cause for a felony charge of second-degree malicious mischief, according to police. He had been searching for the man for a long time and happened to locate him by accident while traveling through Kent. The detective was alone so he asked Kent Police for the assist.
Officers and the detective took the man into custody without incident.
In addition to backing the detective on the vehicle stop, Kent Police sealed the car and transported it to the Kent Police Station while the detective wrote a search warrant to find out what was inside the car.
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Items found in a vehicle driven by a Tacoma man in Kent and wanted by Seattle Police for graffiti vandalism. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent Police
