KENNEBUNK, Maine — Police have arrested a Biddeford man who they suspect spray-painted the graffiti on numerous private and public properties in Kennebunk and Saco.
Following a combined investigation by the Kennebunk and Saco police departments, Nicholas J. Coggins, 22, was arrested and charged with six counts of criminal mischief.
Police say residents and business owners in the two towns reported the tags “Buff City,” “TCB 14” and “Knazer” on their buildings. That included a spree in Kennebunk over the weekend of Aug. 30, with a number of businesses — including Duffy’s Tavern & Grill in Lafayette Center, Oceanside Rubbish Inc., Old Vines Wine Bar and Tapas Restaurant, and Kitchen Chicks Catering — reporting graffiti on walls, a sign, a work van and a garbage Dumpster.
A post to the Kennebunk Police Department’s Facebook page resulted in feedback from the community and led Detective David Jamieson to contact Saco police.
On Sept. 4, the two departments searched Coggins’ home and reportedly seized binders of graffiti tags, a backpack containing several cans of spray paint, a digital camera and other evidence.
A warrant for Coggins’ arrest was issued Sept. 5. He was arrested later that evening.
David “Duffy” Cluff, owner of Duffy’s Tavern & Grill, said the graffiti is “discouraging” and said it hasn’t happened in Kennebunk for quite some time.
“We haven’t seen this type of graffiti happen in town for a long time. I remember 10 or 15 years ago we had a problem where we were seeing a lot of it, but then it went away and we haven’t seen it for quite some time now. To see it starting up again is discouraging. We are hoping it doesn’t become a chain event,” Cluff said. “It defaces the community. It puts an image on the community that you don’t want visitors to see. We’ve worked so hard to make our downtown beautiful, and then you see buildings tagged with graffiti.”
Coggins is scheduled to appear in Biddeford District Court on Oct. 15. He has been released on $310 cash bail.
Anyone with questions on these incidents should contact Saco Deputy Chief Jeffrey Holland at 282-8216 or jholland@sacomaine.org, or Kennebunk Deputy Chief Daniel Jones at 604-1324 or djones@kennebunkmaine.us.