This graffiti enthusiast messed with the wrong group.
City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) saw her district office vandalized back in January with graffiti scrawled along one of the walls. But both she and her office remained persistent in pursuing those responsible, and the 104th Precinct announced the arrest of 30-year-old Michael Mestric on Friday and charged him with 30 acts of vandalism.
“We said we would get to the bottom of this recent vandalism in Middle Village, and we did it,” Crowley said. “The best way to keep our streets clean and safe is by working together as a community. I strongly encourage anyone in the future to reach out to my office with similar information.”
104th Precinct Community Affairs Detective Thomas Bell said the 30-year-old Mestric, a Woodside resident, was arrested April 2 and charged with 30 acts of vandalism, with seven in the 104th Precinct, 21 in the 114th precinct in northwestern Queens and two by the citywide vandals squad.
And it all started with a simple tip, a spokesman for Crowley said.
“In late February, our office was contacted with an anonymous tip regarding the perpetrator,” he said. “Council member Crowley then passed this tip along to the NYPD, who subsequently identified Michael Mestric and arrested him.”
“Moving forward, we strongly encourage anyone in the community with similar information to reach out to our office,” the Crowley spokesman said.
By Phil Corso
