3 teens face graffiti charges

August 5, 2009

3 teens face graffiti charges

By TERRI SANGINITI
The News Journal

A 16-year-old Elsmere boy was charged Tuesday with vandalizing 13 businesses around the town with graffiti.

The boy, who is not being identified because of his age, was charged with five felony counts of graffiti and 49 related misdemeanor counts, said Elsmere Police Lt. Chris Workman.

He was released to the custody of his mother pending an Aug. 24 Family Court hearing.

Damage to the businesses is estimated at $26,900.

The arrest is part of an investigation by the New Castle County Graffiti Task Force.

The teenager tags under the name of “CENT” and “CEAN,” Elsmere Police Officer Phil Young said.

Also Tuesday, two other teens were arrested for spray painting under the bridge in the area of 314 New Road, Workman said.

Seasonal Officers Kelly Bowen and Steve West were sent to that location and arrested a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy, both from Wilmington, who were tagging under the names of “SPA” and “ARK,” Workman said.

The two teens were each charged with graffiti to real or personal property, criminal trespassing, possession of graffiti implements and conspiracy.

Both teens were released to the custody of their parents.

Workman said the 16-year-old teen, who is doing community service as part of an earlier graffiti arrest, was also arrested Tuesday by county police for graffiti offenses.


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We have been using this article as an object lesson with our young men doing community serves all morning .

A small correction :

The 16 year old from Old Capital Trail with the graffiti tag SPA arrested for graffiti is no longer doing community service with Brookland Terrace Anti-Graffiti Brigade.

He was dismissed on Monday 2 August because he did not follow the program rules.

Out of the approximately 30 young people that have performed community service w/ the Brookland Terrace Civic Club Anti Graffiti Brigade .

This young man is the only one that has failed to follow the rules to the point of dismissal , And he will not be coming back to do community serves with us in the future

Thank you

Charles C. Stirk Jr & William Wheatley