5 Napa Youths Arrested In Downtown Vandalism Investigation, Police Say

NAPA, CA — Five juveniles were arrested in connection with a significant increase in graffiti in January on numerous city buildings, parking garages and other public places throughout the city, the Napa Police Department announced Feb. 28.

Most of the vandalism was located in the Downtown and Oxbow areas. Several business owners also reported their buildings were spray-painted with the same graffiti, and an alert employee from one of the businesses noticed two male juveniles in the area vandalizing city property, police said.

The employee contacted the police department's Youth Services Bureau with the information, and officers quickly identified the two boys. Officers found one of the boys with evidence related to the vandalism and took both into custody on suspicion of multiple felony vandalism and conspiracy charges, police said.

Officers identified another three suspects from video surveillance and from evidence recovered in the arrests of the first two suspects.

The Youth Services Bureau determined that all told, the cost to clean and repair the vandalism would exceed $6,000.

Police said juvenile privacy laws prevented them from releasing the names of the juveniles believed to be responsible for the vandalism.

Police said anyone with information about the vandalism or any additional victims should contact Youth Services Detective Darlene Elia at 707-257-9223.