EVERETT — When an Everett police officer spotted a group of teenagers walking down an alley late Thursday night, he suspected something wasn’t quite right.
Moments later, the pack of kids dispersed when the cop tried to talk to them. A can of spray paint fell to the ground with a clink. The officer called for backup.
By 11 p.m., police arrested five Marysville teenagers, all boys ages 14 to 17, suspected of gang-related graffiti, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
The boys allegedly tagged up to 20 locations, causing at least $1,500 in damage, Goetz said.
“The type of tags they were placing up are generally considered gang tags,” he said.
Gangs often use graffiti to mark territories or to brag about crimes they’ve committed, experts say.
Everett detectives still are investigating what the tags mean, Goetz said. At least one of the boys told police the tagging was gang-related.
“We take that pretty seriously,” he said.
Police found evidence of spray cans in one teenager’s vehicle. They also found a bandana covered with what appeared to be gang symbols, Goetz said.
Detectives are investigating whether the group is responsible for additional crimes.
Early Tuesday, Arlington police began investigating more than 15 graffiti taggings. That graffiti isn’t believed be gang-related, but Arlington police plan to speak with Everett police about Thursday’s arrests to determine if there is any connection.
Everett detectives plan to share information about Thursday’s graffiti with law enforcement around the county, Goetz said.
Four of the teenagers were booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center for investigation of first-degree malicious mischief. The youngest boy, 14, was released to his father, Goetz said.
He encouraged anyone who finds tagging to call 911. That way officers can photograph or sketch the tags, Goetz said.
The increase in graffiti is one of the first signs that gang activity is on the rise in Snohomish County, police said. Over the summer, school resource officers from around the county gathered information about gang members and their associates.
They found gang members in every city.
The assessment team documented 250 gang members and 200 associates from about 20 different gangs.
Police nationwide have seen an increase in gang activity in suburbs.
Gang members are moving to places with less police presence, as well as a fertile market in which to sell drugs, steal cars and commit other crimes, police said. That trend is coupled with a surge of young people emulating the gang lifestyle celebrated in pop culture.
Lawmakers recently adopted anti-gang legislation, calling for prevention and intervention programs and tougher penalties for gang crimes, as well as a statewide database for tracking gang members.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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