Salt Lake City, Utah:  Felony and misdeameanor charges have been filed against five graffiti taggers in Salt Lake City, aged 20 to 23.  These taggers have cost the city thousands of dollars in graffiti abatement costs.  Some large scale roof graffiti cost and graffiti on historic buildings exceeded $25k. 

A determined effort by the police department and gang unit lead to the arrest of the taggers.  Many others are being pursued.  In the meantime, the arrests and charges should make taggers think twice before tagging again.

Louisville, Kentucky - Philip G. Rodriguez, 25, was arrested for stealing t-shirts from a local store.  The reason for the theft was that the store owner, Jeffrey Dotson, photographed graffiti on his building and printed it on t-shirts with proceeds going to support Brightside, the Louisville beautification effort.  Rodriguez, a prolific graffiti tagger, claimed the image was his and that the t-shirts violated his copyright. 

So is graffiti protected by copyright law?  Does the photography of the tag change its status from vandalism to art?  How can one claim ownership over the tag without admitting to vandalism and potential exposure to criminal charges?

More at Courier-Journal.com

Kristian Holmes, age 32, was found guilty by a London jury on 38 counts of criminal damage.  Total damage caused by his graffiti between 2003 and 2010 was estimated at £250,000.  He frequently targeted trains and train stations.

More detail at Bexley Times.

Due to budgetary considerations, the Pittsburgh Police Department's specialized, three detective, anti-graffiti squad will be shutting down.

There has been widespread disappointment and concern from city leaders and concerned citizens.

Established in 2006, the squad had some high-profile arrests, including members of Pittsburgh's Most Wanted Graffiti Vandals, Ian de Beer and Daniel J. Montano.  In 2008, Montano was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $232,582.  In 010 de Beer was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $45,000.

The graffiti squad made 10 arrests and collected $11,899 in restitution in 2011, according to the Police Department's annual
reporting.

More detail here.