After months of head-scratching and frustration over a vandalism spree in Astoria, Queens, that saw at least 65 private cars spray-painted with an "A" or a line since March, the NYPD says they now have the suspected nuisance in custody.
Police say a 57-year-old man, a repeat offender, has been charged with 46 counts of making graffiti, criminal mischief and possession of graffiti instruments in a series of similar car vandalisms in the Queens neighborhood dating back months.
The NYPD didn't immediately release the name of the suspect in a Friday afternoon tweet, but said he's accused of vandalizing dozens of the 65 cars that were marred during the two-month spree.
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Police previously said they believed the serial tagger was connected to car damage dating back to March. The same man allegedly struck on three occasions last week. In the first two incidents, investigators said he hit 20 cars each time.
In most cases, the suspect either spray-painted an "A” or an “A” with a circle around it or he drew a line as if he were spray-painting cars while walking past them. The man's latest spree left another eight cars damaged last Saturday, cops said.
George Lambrocos was one of several Astoria neighbors to wake up that morning to find his car painted.
"This neighborhood used to be nice. There are very few of us still living here from the old time," Lambrocos said Saturday. "We're moving out because it's not good."
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One neighbor said she's seen a row of cars all tagged, so she grabbed a rag and started cleaning them.
"We all look out for one another. W'eve all been living for years here, that's how it's supposed to be," she told News 4.
