Man Arrested For Spray Painting Graffiti In South Wenatchee

A Wenatchee man is facing charges after police say he admitted to spray painting graffiti in numerous places in South Wenatchee early this morning.

Officers with the Wenatchee Police Department investigated after a resident in the 700 block of Cashmere Street reported he'd been awakened by a barking dog and witnessed a man tagging a neighboring fence.

The witness provided officers with a description of the man, along with surveillance video, and the suspect - 28-year-old Dagen J. Mathews - was located nearby a short time later.

When questioned by officers, Mathews reportedly admitted to applying gang-related graffiti to the fence, as well as other properties on Ferry, Lewis, Methow, and Mission Streets.

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Capt. Edgar Reinfeld says taggers can be difficult to apprehend for several reasons but this case was a successful one.

"Once somebody starts tagging, they're often prolific at it for a while, and it may span over weeks or even months until we get them located and identified or they just stop. In this case we were fortunate that somebody called us right away and we were able to get there right away, find the suspect in the immediate vicinity and get an admission. So this is a very good way for a case like this to resolve."

Reinfeld says there are some important things to remember if you live in Wenatchee and your property is the target of graffiti.

"One thing for the public to remember is that you have fifteen days to clean up graffiti and it is the property owner's responsibility to do so. Wenatchee Police volunteers do graffiti cleanups but they're not more than once a month and one of the best ways to not get tagged again is to clean it up as soon as you can. The paint also comes off a lot easier in the immediate than it does after it's sat for a while."

Mathews was also found in possession of methamphetamine and booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center on charges of malicious mischief and drug possession.