Tagging could bring felony charges By DENNIS WILKEN TGI Staff Writer LIHU’E—Lt. Alvin Seto of the Kaua`i Police Department’s youth services investigative bureau wants the public’s help. “We have a graffiti problem,” Seto said. He said he isn’t sounding any
Tagging could bring felony charges
By DENNIS WILKEN
TGI Staff Writer
LIHU’E—Lt. Alvin Seto of the
Kaua`i Police Department’s youth services investigative bureau wants the
public’s help.
“We have a graffiti problem,” Seto said.
He said he
isn’t sounding any urban-invasion alarms, though.
“This is not a gang
issue. They (graffiti culprits) are not trying to identify their turf. These
are taggers,” he said.
Seto said this summer’s graffiti problem surfaced
between Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, when the alleged artists began “tagging” walls,
bridges and roads in the Lihu`e, Poi`pu, Koloa and Hanamaulu areas.
Seto
said the same youth or group of youths is suspected.
“It’s the same
design,” Seto said.
And here’s what the taggers may have coming to them,
he said: “I’m hoping that someone who knows who is tagging will call
Crimestoppers. If it’s all the same person, there’s enough for a criminal
property damage felony.”
Any information on the person or persons spraying
graffiti can be reported to Crimestoppers at 241-6787.
Seto said the
graffiti problem on the island is cyclical.
“It comes and goes, and a lot
of times it has stopped without an arrest,” he said.
Wally Rezentes Sr.,
administrative assistant to Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, said cleaning up the
graffiti is the responsibility of the recreation division of the county’s
Public Works Department.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at
245-3681 (ext. 227) and dwilken@pulitzer.net
