THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409130148
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: MIKE KNEPLER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
A couple of Virginia Beach commuters have been doing their bit to change the face of Norfolk.
They've been spray painting graffiti in West Side business areas.
Police recently charged the pair with felony van-da-lism.
This wasn't any momentary mischief for the two. Apparently they had a plan.
They told police they drove to Norfolk in a pick-up truck, parked downtown, unloaded their bicycles and went to work. They toted spray paint in their backpacks.
That was part of their undoing.
Donnie Norrell, a police investigator, saw them biking on Hampton Boulevard at 3:45 one morning.
At first, Norrell suspected the men of breaking into automobiles in Larchmont, Edgewater and Ghent.
Norrell said the men let him search their backpacks. He was looking for burglary tools but found the spray cans. Then he saw fresh paint on their hands.
The investigator took their names and addresses. But he still didn't have a crime to charge them with.
That soon changed. About a block down Hampton Boulevard, Norrell discovered new graffiti on a wall of Anthony's Pizza Palace.
A few days later, on Aug. 29, he charged the men with felony vandalism.
Norrell asked that their names not be published yet because he may link them to 10 to 15 more graffiti hits. Also, he says, more people will be arrested and there may be grand jury indictments.
Back, for a moment, to the two guys Norrell already arrested.
The suspects, both 18 years old, told police they came to Norfolk because Virginia Beach was getting too tough on graffiti scribblers.
Norfolk does not yet have a tough anti-graffiti law.
According to Norrell, the suspects are part of a ``straight edge'' subculture. ``They don't drink, smoke or use drugs or even use caffeine,'' including colas, he said. ``They don't eat meat. Most don't have a bad criminal record. They're passive, middle-class kids.
``But they thought they could gain more respect among their group by the amount of graffiti tags they display. And they get a greater amount of respect depending on where they actually spray. They target real visible locations.''
Norrell would like a tougher graffiti law in Norfolk. And, one is in the works. It would:
Make creation of graffiti a Class 1 misdemeanor, which could result in fines of up to $2,500 and-or up to 12 months in jail.
Allow minors to be sentenced to more than 30 hours of graffiti removal. At least one of their parents could be ordered to accompany the youngster for half the time.
Require property owners to remove or cover graffiti within 10 days. Otherwise the city would do the work and send owners the bill.
Initially, the proposal would have fined property owners up to $1,000 for not removing graffiti. But many business groups opposed the idea, said Kristen M. Lentz, assistant public works director.
City Council could vote by mid-October, said Mayor Paul D. Fraim.
``If Norfolk passes the ordinance, I would think it would give us more firepower. We could charge more offenses, vandalism and graffiti,'' Norrell said.
Right now, Norrell said, he could best be helped if more property owners would press charges against graffiti suspects.
``The arrests of these two alone have deterred new activity,'' he said. ``The biggest thing we need right now is support from the victims.''
Call Norrell at 441-5508. by CNB