Full Notification

SHERIFF’S TRANSIT SERVICES BUREAU DETECTIVES SERVE SEARCH WARRANT ON TAGGER WITH TIES TO SEVERAL NOTORIOUS “TAGGING CREWS”

On Wednesday morning, September 14th, 2011, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Transit Services Bureau (TSB) Detectives, along with LAPD graffiti team Officers, served a search warrant on the 600 blk of Oleander Ave., in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles. The warrant was for Tomas Benson, who goes by the tagging moniker “RUETS”. Benson, a 28 year old, white, male, is wanted for questioning in connection with vandalism damage in excess of eight thousand dollars to L.A. City property and property belonging to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). (see attached pictures)

Benson was not home at the time Detectives entered, but several boxes of evidence were removed from the home. A white, male, was detained at the time the warrant was served, but was later released after being questioned. The evidence obtained not only confirmed Benson’s residence at that location, but also his activities as they relate to illegal graffiti tagging.

TSB Detectives believe that Benson, or “RUETS”, the moniker he uses when tagging, belongs to several groups of taggers known as crews. AL – At Large, PDB – Pros Don’t Boast, or NE – NorthEast, are tagger crews that Benson is known to be a part of. TSB Lead Detective, Michael Thibodeaux believes that Benson, and the crews that he belongs to, have ties to another prolific tagging crew that has had several of its members arrested and charged with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. “MSK (Mad Society Kings) is a tagging crew that we know to have ties to several other crews here in L.A., including those that Benson is a part of.” said Thibodeaux, “We believe a tagger, Jason Williams, who uses the tagger moniker REVOK, is a leading figure in the MSK crew.”

“These taggers are not misguided kids,” said Detective Sergeant Ron Marquez, “these suspects are in their 20’s and 30’s. They are adults who pass themselves off as artists when in reality they’re criminals who commit vandalism crimes that cost property owners and taxpayers a lot of money to clean up.” Marquez is the Sergeant in charge of the Detective Bureau that for the past several years has investigated and prosecuted some of the most notorious vandals in Los Angeles. The courts have ordered convicted vandals to pay restitution for property they’ve damaged, due to the exhaustive investigations conducted by TSB in partnership with other law enforcement agencies, and with the cooperation of the MTA, the City of Los Angeles, and other victims.

Benson remains at large. If you see him, or anyone committing vandalism on MTA trains, buses, and/or property, do not approach or try to intervene. Please call: (888) 950-7233, for LASD response 24 hours a day.

For more information about what the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and partnering police agencies are doing to combat graffiti vandalism, visit:

LA’s Most Wanted Taggers
http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/graffiti/

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
http://www.lasd.org

Report graffiti vandalism and information about graffiti vandals to your local sheriff’s station or police department in order to have the damages documented, investigated, and added to the tracking databases. To remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

To Have Graffiti Removed:

Graffiti Reporting and Removal
Graffiti Hotline at (800) 675-4357

http://dpw.lacounty.gov/itd/dispatch/publicgraffiti/index.cfm?action=report

FOR GRAFFITI REMOVAL in the unincorporated areas of the Los Angeles County, contact the LA County Dept. of Public Works hotline at (800) 675-4357. The graffiti removal hotline is available with live operators 24 hours a day seven days a week. The LACoDPW strives for a 48-hour response when calls are received via the hotline. In order to have a response in a timely manner, please answer the brief questions the operators may ask you. Often questions may be related to graffiti on property which is not the responsibility of the County of Los Angeles. For example, information is offered for the agency providing graffiti removal services to the following: Parks and Recreation, Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Metrolink, United States Post Office, Southern California Edison, and the 88 Cities within the County of Los Angeles.


L.E.T. Ramon Montenegro, Unit Media Liaison Officer
Sheriff’s Transit Services Bureau
Homeland Security Division
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(213) 922-3649
www.lasd.org


Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department


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Address/Location
LASD - Transit Services Bureau HQ, Los Angeles County Sheriff
One Gateway Plaza, M/S 99-PL-15
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-Emergency: (323) 563-5000

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