Galesburg Police say two men accused of spray-painting on an underpass smelled of fresh paint and had paint on their hands when officers arrested them.
Police were sent to the South Street underpass after receiving a report that two men were spray painting the underpass walls early Saturday morning, May 5, 2012.
Officers searched the area and found two men, who matched a witness’ description of the suspects, in the 300 block of South Kellogg Street.
“The pair smelled of fresh paint, had paint on their hands and spray paint was found in a nearby backpack,” said a statement from the Galesburg Police Department.
Police said they found fresh paint “tags” on the underpass walls and that each of the two men claimed a specific tag.
That information was enough for police to link the suspects with 21 previously-reported graffiti cases in Galesburg.
Joseph Brown and Michael Brackett, who are each 25 years old, were charged with felony criminal defacement of property.
