LYNNWOOD – Police have busted nine boys suspected of belonging to two graffiti crews believed responsible for thousands of dollars of damage in south Snohomish County.
The boys, ages 10 to 16, are not believed to be part of hard-core criminal gangs, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said.
Rather, they are probably representative of the type of young people who put up about 90 percent of the graffiti found nationwide, she said.
Police allege the boys are responsible for more than $10,000 in damage to stores, schools and other places with blank walls, she said. They could face multiple misdemeanor and felony charges for malicious mischief.
Officers are hunting for additional suspects, Sessions said.
Lynnwood police, along with police agencies throughout Snohomish County, are using sophisticated methods for tracking and pursuing graffiti taggers, Sessions said.
In Lynnwood, investigators used computers and other specialized electronic equipment to create a database that allows tracking of graffiti “tags.” Carefully photographing and cataloging reported graffiti helped lead to suspects and arrests.
“We utilized innovative methods to beat them at their own game,” Lynnwood police officer T.J. Brooks said.
Graffiti has been on the rise throughout Snohomish County, and it is costing the community thousands of dollars.
In December, the city of Everett paid more than $14,000 for graffiti removal at three parks. In Marysville, the city spent $4,000 over the summer to repair graffiti damage and other vandalism that forced temporary closure of its skate park.
Nationwide, graffiti cleanup costs an average of $8 million a year, according to reports.
Immediate removal of graffiti is one of the best ways to combat the problem, Sessions said.
In Marysville, city officials recently passed stiffer rules requiring property owners to clean up graffiti within 48 hours or face stiffer penalties.
Many communities have public programs to help property owners paint over graffiti.
Another way to combat graffiti is to report suspicious activity, Sessions said. All it takes is one person with a marker, she said.
“That one person could be responsible for a couple of blocks worth of graffiti,” she said.
People with information about graffiti suspects are asked to call 911.
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