Portland's ongoing battle with graffiti has led to the recent arrest of a notorious tagger known as "Bambi" and the close pursuit of another called "MONK6." As reported by the Portland Police Bureau, yesterday morning, the Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team executed a search warrant in the Sunnyside Neighborhood. The raid targeted evidence linked to MONK6, a graffiti vandal known for large, complex tags in high, hard-to-reach places. Dozens of spray paint cans, and thousands of drawings featuring the MONK6 tag were seized during the operation. Although MONK6 has been identified by police, they have withheld the name pending prosecution by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
The investigation also shed light on the arrest of "BAMBI," associated with the BWA (Babes With Aerosol) crew. After finding numerous BAMBI tags across the city, the police served a warrant at a residence on Northwest Overton Street on March 31, apprehending 22-year-old Darvin V. Duffield. The artist faced charges for Criminal Mischief in both the First and Second Degrees.
On July 3, Duffield pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 24 months’ probation, specific graffiti conditions, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $10,187. This included a hefty sum owed to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The City of Portland continues its comprehensive strategy to combat such vandalism, encouraging the public to report graffiti and request cleanup assistance through its website.
Meanwhile, the Central NRT remains invested in tracking down and prosecuting serious graffiti offenders, implying that the chase for MONK6 and others like them is far from over. The department urges anyone with information about such vandal activity to email tips to the Central NRT at [email protected].
