Police charge man suspected of leaving 'Pam the bird' graffiti on Melbourne landmarks
Suspect, 21, faces over 50 charges including criminal damage, burglary and shop theft
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Your support makes all the difference.Police in Australia have charged a 21-year-old man for allegedly painting "Pam the Bird" graffiti on a series of landmarks in Melbourne.
Jack Gibson-Burrell, arrested on Thursday, faces over 50 charges, including criminal damage, burglary, shop theft, and theft of a motor vehicle, the Victoria police said on Friday.
The police claimed the graffiti painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne caused $100,000 (£80,453) in estimated damage.
Police arrested Mr Gibson-Burrell and another man after raiding two properties in Yarraville and Abbotsford areas of the city.
The other suspect, a 39-year-old from Abbotsford, has been charged with 20 criminal damage offences for allegedly spraying graffiti on suburban trains and a prominent building.
Mr Gibson-Burrell was responsible for making graffiti on landmarks like the Flinders Street train station, the Novotel Hotel and the 9News building, the police said.
He allegedly scaled and defaced the heritage-listed Flinders Street station clock tower on 10 July last year and painted graffiti on the 'Cheese Stick' column on CityLink. In his latest alleged offence on 20 January, he daubed graffiti on a hotel in South Wharf, the police said.
The police said they seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks, and property “suspected to be the proceeds of crime” from him.
Acting senior sergeant Jason Wombwell of the Transit Safety Division told reporters the police would allege the two men were "prolific graffiti vandals" who worked together.
“If you drive anywhere on these major roads, particularly out west … they’re everywhere,” he said, according to The Australian. “If you watch the mainstream media or social media some people like it … my opinion is it’s criminal damage.”
Mr Wombwell said in terms of the "Pam the Bird" artwork, the police were investigating one person.
"We believe one person is responsible for that bird and that person is in custody and has been charged with those offences,” he said.
Lawyers for the two suspects said they would apply for bail on Friday, but magistrate Johanna Metcalf indicated she might be short of time to hear the case.
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