1 Arrested After Graffiti Found Near Giant Duck
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - One person is in custody and police continue to look for a second person after graffiti was found near the big, yellow Rubber Duck on display at Point State Park.
Pittsburgh Police now identify the suspect as 34-year-old Ryan Sigesmund. He is facing charges of criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy and possessing instruments of a crime.
According to investigators, a security guard monitoring the duck called police around 4:30 a.m. when he spotted two people spray painting the pathway near the river.
He said he first became suspicious when he heard what sounded like a spray paint can hitting the ground from his post.
The two suspects fled after seeing the security monitor, but an officer was able to catch up with Sigesmund and take him into custody.
Police combed the area looking for the other suspect, but did not find anyone else.
However, they did find a black spray paint can near the fountain and a book of quotes similar to the ones that had been painted on the ground.
Police say they found several phases spray painted on the ground, including: "Society breeds dissidents,' bread and ganes,' 'nothing is lost, everything is transformed,' 'life is intelligence,' 'the passion of destruction is a creative joy,' and more.
According to police, they also found the same picture of a letter "A" inside of a heart that Sigesmund has a tattoo of on his wrist.
He was taken to the Allegheny County Jail.
Police estimate the total amount of damage to be more than $5,000.
Workers with Point State Park and the Department of Public Works cleaned the graffiti off the ground this morning.
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