Crime & Safety

Accused Tagger Caught in the Act, Arrested

Joseph O'Conner, 18, of Lake Elsinore, was allegedly caught spray painting graffiti at 8:45 a.m. on the wall supporting the bridge on West Minthorn Way, the sheriff's department reported.

A patrolling sheriff's deputy caught a young man today scrawling graffiti on a concrete wall in Lake Elsinore and was arrested, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The deputy spotted Joseph O'Conner, 18, of Lake Elsinore, spray painting graffiti at 8:45 a.m. on the wall supporting the bridge on West Minthorn Way, near Spring Street, the sheriff's department reported.

O'Conner was recently arrested for another graffiti-related act, sheriff's officials said. 

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Listed as Kayne Joseph O'Connor in jail records, the suspect was booked at Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of "maliciously defacing property with paint," which is a misdemeanor. He was released from custody later Saturday on $2,500 bond.

The Lake Elsinore Police Department encourages anyone who witnesses graffiti to call 9-1-1 if a crime is in progress. If reporting discovered graffiti, call the non-emergency sheriff's dispatch line at 951-776-1099 or 1-800-950-2444.

Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

—City News Service and Maggie Avants contributed to this report.


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