Subscribe Now Mobile Site Place an Ad E-Edition Email Updates Obituaries Classifieds Find a Job Find a Car Real Estate Contact Us

Currently

95°

Clear

FREE ARCHIVE SEARCH

News

CLASSIFIEDS

All Classifieds
Find a Home
Find a Car
Find a Job
Work Here
Find Merchandise
Today’s Print Ads

2 Weeks Free

Free Ad

Place an ad
in print and online, 24/7 for free, select the Clean Sweep option. Unable to submit Real Estate, Services, and Business Investements at this time.

Get a Subscription

Map the Valley

Restaurant Listing
School Listing
Open Houses
Garage Sales

Subscriber/
Reader Services

Subscribe Now
Contact Customer Service

Teen arrested in tagging

By Joe Johnson
jjohnson@HanfordSentinel.com

Orchard Supply Hardware. Marquez Brothers. United Gymnastics. Hanford Glass. The Kings County Library. These are just a few of the 20 or more buildings hit by a single graffiti artist on Saturday night, in a series of incidents that could cost thousands of dollars to repair, Hanford Police Department officers said.

Investigators arrived on the scene of 11th Avenue's Orchard Supply Hardware store at 8:20 a.m. Sunday after a report went out that someone had "tagged" numerous businesses in the area with gang graffiti. What they found was a trail of gang signs that extended down 11th Avenue and traveled east, hitting dozens more businesses as it went.

Other victims include Carroll's Tire Warehouse, Badasci Tire, Shoop Chiropractic, Kings County Mobile Locksmith, Family Real Estate, Hedges Pest Control and numerous others, HPD officers reported.

Investigators were able to quickly identify the suspected vandal as he apparently left his unique moniker on most of the buildings he defaced.

The Kings County Probation Department was able to identify the 16-year-old male, who was arrested at his home and found with numerous pieces of evidence that linked him to the area of the crimes.

The teen was booked into the Kings County Juvenile Center after admitting to more than 20 acts of vandalism to businesses and homes.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(Oct. 21, 2008)

Email this story

Print this story

POST A COMMENT

Hanfordsentinel.com encourages readers to engage in civil conversation with their neighbors. Comments that are submitted are not posted to the site immediately. They go into a queue to be moderated and may take several hours to be reviewed, particularly if they are posted after normal office hours.

We reserve the right to remove comments in total that violate our code of conduct. If you want to report a violation, please e-mail editor@HanfordSentinel.com

For more information please read our Terms of use, and Rules of the Road.

Please log in to post comments

*Member ID:
*Password:
	Forgot Your Password?

If you don't have an account you can create one for free by clicking the link below.
CREATE ACCOUNT

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Hanford Sentinel

Alan G wrote on Oct 21, 2008 12:48 PM:

" I sure hope the court makes an example out of this kid since it's not often that they get caught. 100% restitution to every home and business owner and 52 weekends of grafitti clean-up duty (Saturday AND Sunday).

The problem with most of these kids is they don't think it's a big deal. They are pathetic little losers in life screaming "PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEEE!!!!!" And I hope the judge does.

I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Doe are proud of their little boy. "

joseantonio wrote on Oct 21, 2008 2:59 PM:

" This criminal should spend every waking hour cleaning up the mess that he made, and make his parents pay for the cleaning supplies and touch up paint. Wait let me guess, they are probably on government assistance already huh? So I guess us taxpayers already paid for the spray paint cans that this criminal used and will keep on using.

Tag, you're it! "

Carl.Spackler wrote on Oct 21, 2008 3:21 PM:

" Probably the same little worthless shed of human debri that painted on my building. Throw the book at him Hanford PD. "

Sneezy wrote on Oct 21, 2008 3:59 PM:

" Must have been active before and not taught his lesson since he was identified so quickly. He needs time to really think about his actions....Forced community service after spending time in Juvi. His parents need to held accountable as well - either financially or community service with the son if they can't afford it. 20 businesses required a lot of paint...where was it supplied from? "

yo daddy wrote on Oct 21, 2008 4:41 PM:

" Now he can paint "Elstupido" on his jail cell wall... "

Tony wrote on Oct 21, 2008 9:19 PM:

" Marquez bros. was tagged?
I believe the city of Hanford should block off another street for them as a courtesy.
As far as the little tagger goes.....make the parents pay a huge fine and make the tagger buy the paint from O.S.H. out of his parents' pockets. "

Devil's Advocate wrote on Oct 21, 2008 10:33 PM:

" Graffiti ARTIST?!? "

bluefalcon559 wrote on Oct 21, 2008 11:17 PM:

" Indeed, yes, please throw the book at this punk! 104 days of community service cleaning up graffiti is not enough. He should have to clean it up until he is 21 at minimum... Pull his drivers license also until he is 21. Not only make the parents pay for this, but why not double dip and make him pay from his tax returns for how many ever years it takes to pay it off.

Not only should he go to Juvi, but he should also have to write a formal letter of apology to each person affected by this. Plus he should have to write a letter of apology to the citizens of the Hanford, which should be published in the Hanford Sentinel.

I have no tolerance at all for this sort of behavior! "

THEREALDOG wrote on Oct 22, 2008 12:50 PM:

" bluefalcon559 for president or at least mayor...BUT he will get probation 8 hrs of coummunity service and thats all....you want these punks to stop then you need to go after them and go hard make it so hard they will be affraid to go outside...Lets ask Mrs D. what she would do....she would say the poor kid needs help "

mrs.d wrote on Oct 22, 2008 2:54 PM:

" Yeah, the kid could use some help. Then we could send him to a church for some guidance. THEREALDOG could join him and then they can both learn about compassion and respect for their fellow man. "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Oct 22, 2008 7:04 PM:

" To Real Dog: I gotta see this Mrs. D in church teaching about compassion and respect for her fellow man. Oh sorry! I was laughing so hard, I fell out of my chair. . . . . . . at the thought of a compassionate Mrs. D on what valum?

I too think that the punishment should be long for such blatant disregard for the businesses in town. I would like to see the red white and green go to red white and blue at the Cheese Plant but not like this. I would rather they voluntarily did that, not some punk 16 year old soon to be felon. You think this is bad wait until he graduates to a roller? God forbid if he locates an airless sprayer, there will be no end to the damage possible. Oh and what did his parents buy him for this Christmas, you guessed it a paint gun!
After let's say five years of cleaning up everyone else's graffiti in town. Have to wear a YES i WAS THIS STUPID T-SHIRT while cleaning. Spend Two Hundred-Sixty weekends Juvenile Hall. "

Carl.Spackler wrote on Oct 22, 2008 8:22 PM:

" Hey Mrs. D: Maybe you can how me some great compassion and come clean the grafitti off my office walls and replace my signs that get ruined. I can use some compassion too. Sheesh! "

THEREALDOG wrote on Oct 23, 2008 9:36 AM:

" Mrs D WE AGREE
I think church could help this young man...I don't respect people that don't respect other people's property....Maybe you and Scott Tucker can take him on a little camping retreat....AHH....That would be nice...
Carl Spackler and Watchdog Fred could you imagine Mrs D..... in charge of somthing WOW she thinks we all live in a fantasy world......Mrs D if you want to see a fantasy world you need to go to DISNEYLAND just take 99 to the 5 south I will call Mickey Mouse tell him your coming.... "

Mrs.D wrote on Oct 23, 2008 3:18 PM:

" If it were your kids, Spackler, Realdog, or watchdog fred(God, help us all)you'll be pleading for understanding and compassion. The rest of Hanford will be laughing.

This kid will be properly punished and then each of you can go to his parents house and show them how to be real parents: by fingerpointing and preening. "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Oct 23, 2008 3:50 PM:

" To the Realdog - not fair I want to go to Disneyland too! I really like the Dole exhibit and their pineapple offerings. The Tiki Shack and the Bird demonstration. Not to mention the rides and then there is Mickey and Mini and Goofey and Cinderella. Tom Sawyers' Island, the Safari ride, the French Quarter and everyone's favorite It's A Small World! Wow that's at least a two dayer!

Gee Carl Spackler - I think the crooks should come out of Juvenile Hall/Jail and clean up there own messes and those of like felons. Perhaps if they did enough cleaning they might learn respect for the surfaces they are painting their logos on and defacing. You have to admit their part of the job is the easiest and least talent required. I mean how can you miss a building with a spray can of paint? Not much trick to that action, just a lot of disrespect and I thought gangs were all about respect? How disappointing another blatant oxi-moron to contend with the rest of our lives. What next compassionate ladies of the evening? "

Carl.Spackler wrote on Oct 23, 2008 5:27 PM:

" Mrs. D: If it were my kids tagging, they would be out there every spare hour cleaning that garbage up for the city and every spare dime of their allowance would be spent reimbursing property owners for their crime. Basically, it would be hell on earth for them.

I'm sorry but I don't understand the need for compassion here. "

melMAOB wrote on Oct 24, 2008 2:23 AM:

" Yes lets lock them up...that will teach them...Why not make him paint over the tagging and teach him how to work? "

Mrs.D wrote on Oct 24, 2008 5:08 PM:

" CarlSpakler, if your kids were caught tagging, dang right you'll be out there with them cleaning up the mess. You'll also have to hear the chorus of people telling you what a bad parent you are for lettling them do it. "

Carl.Spackler wrote on Oct 25, 2008 11:19 AM:

" Mrs. D: Compassion for the perp not the victim?

I get it now.

To the wonderful little citizen that tags my building and ruined my sign - I forgive you. I realize you are just expressing yourself and marking your gang territory. That's nice. I'm sure you are a wonderful, creative kid. Maybe I can donate an art scholarship or something. Feel free to use my office walls and signs anytime in the future. My office walls are your personal canvas.

Your friend, Carl "

Alihandero wrote on Oct 25, 2008 6:13 PM:

" All I can say is that it's quite obvious that "Ms. D" has some 'issues' she is dealing with. "

KaDee wrote on Oct 25, 2008 6:40 PM:

" at the least, he MUST write a letter of apology to each business he defaced. then financial payback must be arranged. I personally believe taggers are NOT stupid, they do what they do basically as an outlet for frustration or just to get ATTENTION - attention for doing something wrong is better than no attention at all . . . "

super dad wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:09 PM:

" There is probably only a Miss Doe as is typical with "Gang Bangers". They want respect but they have no respect for the comunities in which they live.
If I had been caught doing something like this when I was a kid, I would have been beaten severley, had to clean up my mess and apologize to everyone.
Everybody makes choices in life. You chose to do bad or you chose to do good. Good and bad are tought by parents, teachers, the community, and Church(4 Mrs. D). And yet as a teenager you still know wrong from write. You know you are going to get in trouble if you get caught. Therefore I have no compassion for this person. "

super dad wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:12 PM:

" By the way, there are now violent taggers out there that if you try to stop them or they see you erasing their "Identity" they will seveley hurt or even kill you. No compassion !!! "

CJ wrote on Oct 27, 2008 4:25 PM:

" You people r nuts. You guys r always so quick to point the finger at everyone else. Always so quick to point the finger at the Parents. I mean come on do you really think that parents should be responsible for everything there teenagers do wrong. Were your parents always blamed for everthing you did? He did it he's old enough to do the crime he's old enough to pay for it. "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:36 PM:

" CJ wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:25 PM:
Not only did our parents suffer the embarassment and possible cost. It was usually our friends or family that told on us and then it was like being punished by an entire village, because everyone knew. Yes you walked with a stigma until you changed your ways and could hold your own head high again. Many parents would have preferred a dollar restitution to the guilding they would get from other parents. But at the same time parents in the community worked together to prevent such law breaking antics. Other parents in my neighborhood weren't allowed to spank me, but they damn sure knew the source that would, and how to get me there. Which is the way it should be done today, children have to many rights and parents no longer have enough. When we wake up and realize that, we will be a productive society again. Once again the animals are running the zoo instead of the animal keepers. "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:37 PM:

" CJ wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:25 PM:
In all fairness to my father, I never got a spanking I didn't deserve and many times worked overtime to earn it. "

B. wrote on Nov 1, 2008 1:09 PM:

" I wonder if Mrs. D would have compassion if it were her house being tagged with gang signs, If she did, I recommend counselling. She definately has issues. "

Proud Dad wrote on Nov 3, 2008 1:18 PM:

" Fred writes "children have to many rights and parents no longer have enough"

Wow...Parents actually have to think outside of the box, instead of spanking/beating their kids into submission for minor infractions?

I am extremely thankful that our children have rights compared to other countries.

In regards to the punishment for the tagger(s), make it long, tedious, embarrassing and strap on a GPS tracking unit to make sure they stay at home or school. If there are additional infractions, then start throwing in some jail time. "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:32 AM:

" This comment I've pasted is from what claims to be a responsible parent. Whom I wish would explain to me what a serious infraction might be if tagging and doing thousands of dollars worth of damage to other people's property doesn't qualify? Children have school yard lawyers, who know more about what a parent can or can't do than the enabler who wrote the remarks below.

Proud Dad wrote on Nov 3, 2008 3:18 PM:

" Fred writes "children have to many rights and parents no longer have enough"

Wow...Parents actually have to think outside of the box, instead of spanking/beating their kids into submission for minor infractions?

Parents have been thinking outside the box for years. They just didn't have all those so called childhood development courses conducted and written by non-parent individuals who never had to deal with a real live child in an adolescent state before who profess to be able to tell you how to raise your child, whom they have never met. How presumptuous of them! "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Nov 4, 2008 11:42 AM:

" Perhaps Mrs. D would care to tell us how a bird action described as preening pertains to this article? How does a bird rubbing its legs together corelate to the importance of punishment here?

Mrs.D wrote on Oct 23, 2008 5:18 PM:

" If it were your kids, Spackler, Realdog, or watchdog fred(God, help us all)you'll be pleading for understanding and compassion. The rest of Hanford will be laughing.

This kid will be properly punished and then each of you can go to his parents house and show them how to be real parents: by fingerpointing and preening. "

I love it when someone uses words too large to understand the meaning of and uses them improperly trying to indicate a higher level of intelligence. It simply demonstrates the incapacity of certain levels of brain matter that exist between their own ears. Don't you think? "

Proud Dad wrote on Nov 4, 2008 12:23 PM:

" That's interesting, I know of many other parents that haven't spank/hit their kids and the kids have turned out to be outstanding and productive citizens. This behavior actually happens outside of books believe it or not... "

Watchdog Fred wrote on Nov 4, 2008 2:52 PM:

" To: Proud Dad wrote on Nov 4, 2008 2:23 PM:

" That's interesting, I know of many other parents that haven't spank/hit their kids and the kids have turned out to be outstanding and productive citizens. This behavior actually happens outside of books believe it or not... "

Really and where are their children serving their time at Proud Dad. Your comments amaze me, you act as if society is suppose to put up with parents who are unwilling to do their job as parents. That isn't fair to those of us who have raised our children to be respectful of others and who have gone on to be respected productive members of society. The old Spare the Rod spoil the child holds true today as it did when the saying was coined. I've never been in favor of beating children but it damn sure doesn't hurt to discipline them. Many parents today don't get that concept of child rearing, with all their time outs and broader punishment such as grounding them from the $400 game they got for them last Christmas. Parents use those same games as babysitters. "

Proud Dad wrote on Nov 4, 2008 6:42 PM:

" Your comments amaze me, since you never want to acknowledge there are other ways to approach a situation. That is ridiculous that you think you have spank/hit a child to make them respectful citizens.
I never said my approach works in all situations and I never said that I would never spank my child. It would have to be something extreme and to this day my kids have never given me a reason to have to go that far.
I do not have to spank/hit my children in order to gain their respect and to teach them to be respectful/productive citizens. Children are not dogs, so yes I spare the rod. (No, I do not beat my dog either)

Watchdog Fred wrote
“Really and where are their children serving their time at Proud Dad”

Honor Roll at a Jr, High in town
UCLA
West Hills College
San Joaquin College

This town is full of Proud Parents that strive to do the best for their kids and the kids return the favor. Are there bad apples? Of course there are, but that doesn’t mean I have to hit my kids if they aren't. "

HOT TOPICS

MORE LOCAL NEWS

Lemoore:

Selma:

Kingsburg:

PHOTO GALLERIES

More Photos

Sentinel Photos (223) Albums

: Photos from first half of 2009; Tuesday, June, 30 2009; (35) Photos

: Dairy Dinner; Monday, June, 29 2009; (8) Photos

: Photos from the weekend Jun 27; Monday, June, 29 2009; (12) Photos

Reader Submitted (7) Albums

: Vintage Hanford; Monday, December, 15 2008; (1) Photos

: Vacation Photos; Thursday, November, 20 2008; (10) Photos

: Events; Thursday, November, 20 2008; (29) Photos

EMAIL UPDATES

Sign up today to get all your local headlines delivered to your home or work e-mail address, so you don't miss the latest in breaking and local news.

E-Mail:
Daily News Updates
Breaking News Alerts