The office of District Attorney George Gascón announced Monday it would be charging Andrew Yarbrough, a prolific tagger apprehended by Mission District police officers last week, with ten felony counts of vandalism as well as 19 misdemeanor counts of vandalism.
Yarbrough, whose is allegedly the vandal behind the tag “Cryst,” has spray painted his work throughout the city—on MUNI shelters, businesses, city buildings and in Dolores Park, where the 18-year-old was caught by police Thursday.
“We are thankful for District Attorney Gascon, and Police Chief Suhr and their teams’ dedication and hard work in holding vandals accountable for damaging our parks,” said Phil Ginsburg, SF Rec and Park General Manager in a statement Monday. “Our parks are sacred public space for all to enjoy, San Franciscans deserve the rights to safe and clean parks.”
SF Rec and Park is, of course, in the midst of long-delayed $20 million dollar improvement project in Dolores Park. Last month, vandals having a joy ride and BBQ set the project back by $100,000 in damages.
We’ll update this post with more information as warranted. In the meantime, KTVU has an interview with Yarbrough following his arrest last week. In it, Yarbrough reveals the origins of his alleged tag “Cryst.” (Via SFist)
I hope the DA makes a Singapore style example out of this guy so others don’t copy him. his act was one of pure selfishness. Narcissism and contempt to everyone who lives here. I hope the judge forces him to clean up his own mess and apologize in person to every business and home he damaged as part of his punishment
Corporal punishment? for putting paint on a wall? That is insanity. If you like Singapore style so much maybe you should consider relocating.
Why don’t we tie him up in some public place and let all those who suffered his tagging (or all of us who saw it) paint him? 100% chance he won’t tag our fair city ever again.
paying $10 a month for this regurgitated content? give me a break
This Marilyn Manson reject should get prosecuted fully. He is a bum who needs to do some physical labor.
A tagger is in no way similar to the idiots who tore up the grass in Dolores Park. Felony vandalism? Give me a break.
Elizabeth,
Please consider the importance of establishing and maintaining personal credibility.
When a person has committed as much damage as this a-hole has it is just as bad, if not worse…http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=00001-01000&file=594-625c
Actually his actions are very similar to what happened in Dolores Park, except he doesn’t have the excuse of being drunk. He is an arrogant, self-centered jerk who doesn’t care about his community. Repairing graffiti vandalism is very expensive and I am sure what he is being charged for is just a small portion of the damage he has done. Why do you think this guy deserves a break?
They talk about charging him with felonies – is that in compliance with London Breed’s bill passed by the board of supervisors last spring saying that vandalism should be dealt with in civil courts?