Coram men charged for downtown graffiti spree
Two suspects in a downtown Riverhead vandalism spree were each ordered to be held on $1,000 bail after answering to a slew of charges in Town Justice Court Thursday.
Christopher Berg, 18, and Mark Cannon, 20, both of Coram, were arrested about 1:40 a.m. Thursday after cops received a call of two suspicious people on the roof of Griffing Hardware store near West Main Street and Griffing Avenue, police said.
Responding officers then saw two people run across a parking lot and hop into a car to take off. Cops stopped the car, discovering spray paint cans and Sharpie markers investigators then linked to paint graffiti and other scrawling on downtown storefronts, authorities said.
The suspects are accused of targeting more than half a dozen buildings, including the newly renovated Suffolk Theater and the Riverhead Project restaurant, police said.
Riverhead Flower Shop, National Rental, Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, the former Sears building and the Ralph’s Italian Ice were all found to be marred with graffiti tags Thursday.
The same tags were seen on other downtown buildings as well.
Mr. Berg is unemployed and lives with his parents, it was revealed in court, while Mr. Cannon lives with his grandparents and has worked for the last three weeks at a Stop N Shop supermarket.
Mr. Cannon pleaded not guilty to trespassing, possession of a graffiti instrument and seven counts of making graffiti.
Mr. Berg is facing the same charges, as well as petit larceny and a fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property charge in relation to what police described as a sign valued at $500.
Marsha Kipperman, a volunteer at the Suffolk Theater, said she was upset to see discover the vandalism Thursday.
“They’re making mischief,” she said of the alleged vandals. “They think they’re being funny.”
with Paul Squire
