Bend police arrested a 24-year-old man on more than 250 charges in connection with a graffiti “tagging" spree that began about four months ago. Police arrested Adrian Allen McCowan, 24, on two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, nine counts of second-degree criminal mischief, 28 counts of third-degree criminal mischief and 223 counts of unlawfully applying graffiti, the department announced Tuesday.
Nancy Watson, a crime analyst with the Bend Police Department, said the tags — primarily freehand spray-painting of the letters RAS — were found, generally, on Bend’s east side, north of the Third Street railroad bridge. Most of the tags were small, she said, appearing primarily on signs and utility boxes, but some larger tags were found on the underpasses along Greenwood and Franklin avenues.
“We don’t really think it’s gang related," Watson said. “Some of the symbols are similar to those used by gangs, but it doesn’t appear there is a gang in town, so nothing to worry about there."
It’s estimated it will cost more than $10,000 to remove all of the known tags, according to a news release from Bend police.
