Vallone Urges DA: Get Tough With Graffiti Vandal

Anti-graffiti warrior City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. has asked Queens DA Richard Brown to prosecute an Astoria graffiti vandal "to the fullest extent of the law, even if it means going to trial".

"They caught this punk red-handed, now we should make sure he pays for destroying our neighborhoods," Vallone declared. "I want this crime etched on his criminal record forever."

Vallone was talking about Keith Alva, 32, who he described as a career criminal. Alva was arrested by 114 Precinct cops for spray painting the Marathon Bank branch on Broadway last Thursday.

Alva was arrested after a brief chase. The officers said he had in his possession at the time etching acid, which Vallone described as a new graffiti tool that vandals use to permanently mark windows on buildings and subways. This dangerous product cost the MTA $11 million a year for window replacements, he said.

Vallone said Alva, whose tag is "SIDE", has a long criminal history, including arrests for burglary, robbery and drugs.

Possession of etching acid makes Alva's case particularly egregious, Vallone said, because, unlike other forms of graffiti, some of which can be painted over or cleaned, etching acid burns streaks that cannot be removed into materials. In addition, the lawmaker said, the substance can also be extremely dangerous. If someone comes into contact with freshly applied acid, it can cause serious burns.—John Toscano