San José police say the man behind one of the South Bay's most recognizable graffiti tags is now in custody. Last Thursday, officers arrested 21-year-old Andrew Estrada, who detectives allege is the prolific tagger known as "byes." Investigators say his signature showed up on public walls, freeway overpasses, and abandoned buildings across several jurisdictions, causing more than $200,000 in damage. Estrada was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail, and the case is listed as 25-062-9712.
According to a press release from the San José Police Department, Gang Investigations Unit detectives secured an arrest warrant for Estrada along with a search warrant for his home. Inside, they report finding large amounts of graffiti indicia, including spray paint, markers, slap tags, and sketch pads, along with bolt cutters and other tools. Officers also say they located a loaded firearm at the residence, despite Estrada being prohibited from possessing one, and that physical evidence connected him to dozens of vandalism reports. Police estimate his tags hit city property more than twenty times at a cost of roughly $40,000, and they say a January 26 incident at a railroad trestle near Old Oakland Road alone caused about $80,000 in damage.
SJPD Arrests Prolific "Byes" Taggerhttps://t.co/xgcfJYEd4p pic.twitter.com/JhntY2rUWG
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) February 3, 2026
What Police Say and What's Next
Detectives say the investigation kicked off last year after a wave of vandalism complaints poured in through the city's 3-1-1 app. The same "byes" tag reportedly kept reappearing on both public infrastructure and private property. The department's release cites examples such as public walls, freeway overpasses, and abandoned buildings, and credits a mix of community tips and surveillance video with helping narrow down a suspect list. Cases like this can force crews to repeat cleanups, diverting city maintenance resources from other work so they can scrub the same spots again and again.
Legal Implications
Per the press release from the San José Police Department, Estrada was arrested in San José last Thursday and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail under case number 25-062-9712. Investigators are asking anyone with information or video to contact Detective Havlick at (408) 277-3835 or [email protected], or Detective Dean at [email protected]. Because officers say they found a loaded firearm and that Estrada is prohibited from having one, police report they are working with prosecutors to determine the formal charges and whether additional counts will be filed.
How The City Is Affected
City officials have not announced any court dates, and the investigation remains active as San José police coordinate with other jurisdictions to identify more potential victims and additional damage. Officials note that quick reporting and publicly shared video often help build cases against serial taggers and guide which areas get cleanup priority. Residents who have surveillance footage or other information are urged to preserve the evidence and contact the detectives listed above.
