Graffiti Vandals Cause Thousands of Dollars in Damage

Three alleged graffiti vandals police say are responsible for thousands of dollars of damage to both private and public property were arrested this month, according to Montclair Deputy Police Chief Todd Conforti. 

The arrests of two teenage boys from Montclair and a woman from a neighboring town were the result of an investigation by the Juvenile Aid Bureau, Conforti said Monday.

A 15-year-old Montclair boy was arrested on Sept. 27 and charged with 29 counts of criminal mischief. The teen, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, is known to paint the tags “Celer” and “Savoe”, police said.

He is responsible for graffiti on South Fullerton Avenue, Orange Road, Valley Road, North Fullerton Avenue, Park Street, Bloomfield Avenue, Bell Street, Watchung Avenue, Claremont Avenue, Bellevue Avenue, The Crescent, Midland Avenue, Valley/Brookfield Road, Chestnut Street, Chestnut/Forrest Street, and Upper Montclair Plaza, police said. 

A 17-year-old boy from Montclair was arrested on Sept. 16 as a result of the same investigation and charged with 18 counts of criminal mischief. He is known to paint the tag “Dap”, police said.

Emily Westernin, age 21, of Little Falls, was charged on Sept. 13 with one count of criminal mischief.  She is known to paint the tag “Void”, police said.

Westernin and the juvenile are responsible for graffiti on South Fullerton Avenue, Watchung Avenue, Valley Road, Bloomfield Avenue, Bell Street, Claremont Avenue, Bellevue Avenue, Valley Road Train Trestle, Chestnut Street, Upper Montclair Plaza, and Park Street, according to police.

Both juveniles were remanded to the Essex County Youth House for processing. Westernin was released on her own recognizance. 

Conforti said officers from the Juvenile Aid Bureau connected tags around town in course of their lengthy investigation.