Teen Linked To 17 Graffiti Attacks Across Lake Elsinore

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a spate of graffiti attacks across Lake Elsinore, police are reporting.

The juvenile, whose identity has not been released due to his age, was arrested following a search warrant service Wednesday by the Lake Elsinore Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team. The warrant was served in the 18300 block of Tereticornis Avenue in unincorporated area just outside Lake Elsinore city limits, according to a news release from Sgt. Ray Nava. 

According to Nava’s report, the team’s investigators, working in conjunction with patrol and school resource officers, linked the suspect to 17 separate acts of vandalism. 

“The suspect had committed vandalism within two high schools of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District and the City of Lake Elsinore,” the sergeant reported.

Damage caused by the vandalism is estimated in excess of $3,000, according to Nava.

An early October graffiti attack at Temescal Canyon High School was not the work of the suspect arrested Wednesday, Nava said.

The sergeant had strong words for parents and would-be graffiti vandals.

“The Lake Elsinore Police Department would like to advise all residents it will aggressively work to identify and prosecute suspects of graffiti vandalism to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, the City of Lake Elsinore will aggressively seek to recover any and all cost it incurs for the removal of graffiti from those persons convicted of graffiti vandalism,” he said in his report.

Nava also sent this reminder: If you see a graffiti vandalism crime in-progress, dial 911. If a crime is not in-progress, call the sheriff’s dispatch non-emergency number at (951) 776-1099.  To make a graffiti removal request, call the city’s Graffiti Hotline at (951) 674-2701, or submit an online graffiti service request form at www.lake-elsinore.org.

Anyone with further information about graffiti incidents is encouraged to contact Officer Munoz at the Lake Elsinore Police Department at 951-245-3300.