Light Rail Graffiti
A group of citizens helped lead Phoenix police to a man tagging a Metro Light Rail vehicle with graffiti. On September 23, 2009, passengers saw a man bending over and gesturing as if he was writing something onto the seat just to the right where he was sitting. They also smelled a strong odor they believed were markers coming from his direction. When passengers left the light rail they alerted the driver, who immediately contacted two officers working a special event in the area of 300 E. Washington.
Officers were directed to the suspect and placed him under arrest after he was found in possession of markers in his pockets. Jason Herbert, 29, was arrested for committing criminal damage by knowingly and intentionally writing graffiti on the light rail train seat. Phoenix police officers made a successful arrest due to the assistance and willingness of the passengers, who wanted to “make a difference”. The entire act committed by Mr. Hebert was recorded by on board video surveillance.
Programs like Graffiti Busters clean up the mess of graffiti, but it’s more important to stop the crime before it happens. In order to keep graffiti, and crimes in general, down, the public has to help. Don’t be afraid to report graffiti anytime you see it; whether it’s in your neighborhood, at a store or on public transit. If the information you provide leads to an arrest you can earn up to $250 in reward money. Some graffiti may seem like a small mark on a wall but when you add the number of places tagged, the damage can devastate the community. Learn how you can help your neighborhood fight the problem of graffiti by visiting our Graffiti Hotline page.