A San Francisco man has been slapped with vandalism charges after going on a graffiti spree in Paradise, Butte County, rocking a hoodie that brazenly stated “Remember kids graffiti is fun.” The alleged tagger, Brian Orison, 39, didn't seem to be doing any favors for his case when cops cuffed him last week; he was wearing the same sweatshirt seen in surveillance footage from one of the vandalized businesses, authorities said.
Orison, who was also booked for driving without a valid license and resisting arrest, was released on bail, as jail records indicate. The Paradise Police pointed out that several businesses were defaced with the same symbols on the same night, after first responding to reports of graffiti at a grocery store, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.
Upon reviewing surveillance footage from the affected grocery store, officers pegged a man in a red Ford Mustang—and in the striking hoodie—responsible for the damage. The suspect's vehicle was later pulled over for speeding, and after a "brief struggle" when Orison "refused to exit the vehicle when directed," he was detained by officers, the Paradise Police Department mentioned in their own press release.
During his arrest, Orison dropped a cellphone, its case adorned with a symbol identical to the ones sprayed across the vandalized facades, the police said. The officers also unearthed "numerous spray paint cans and a black face mask" in his car, which sported the same color as the graffiti. Orison told officers he was a "city guy" and didn't see his actions as particularly harmful, according to police.
The Paradise Police has urged any additional victims of recent graffiti mirroring the symbols in the case to get in touch. They emphasized their determination to "improving the quality of life in our community," in alignment with Orison's significant bail set at $19,000.
