January 12, 2005

Gap vandal fined cleanup fee
By SHANNA McCORD
Sentinel staff writer

A man caught vandalizing The Gap storefront on Pacific Avenue must pay the city’s clean-up costs, a $500 fine, serve 200 hours of community service and stay away from downtown, a judge ordered on Tuesday.

Michael Henderson, 22, was charged with vandalism for throwing green paint on the front doors of The Gap on Jan. 3, said Julie Hendee of the city Redevelopment Agency.

The agency is responsible for graffiti abatement in the city.

Hendee said it cost $1,000 to rid the store’s doors and sidewalk of the paint.

"It was wet and oozing all over the place and threatening to go into the storm drain," she said. "People think they’re hurting The Gap by doing this. They’re not hurting The Gap, it’s hurting the city."

Henderson was caught after trailing green paint from Pacific Avenue to Mission Street where he lives.

The agency spends up to $2,000 every month erasing graffiti from various spots around Santa Cruz, Hendee said.

She said it’s rare for vandalism perpetrators to be caught.

Contact Shanna McCord at smccord@santacruzsentinel.com.