Crime & Safety

Graffiti Vandals Arrested in San Mateo

The arrests were made as a result of an alert citizen who spotted the crime.

A 21-year-old man and 16-year-old boy were arrested Monday morning for allegedly spray painting graffiti on the Highway 101 sound wall between Belmont and San Mateo, police said Tuesday.

An alert citizen spotted a group of people painting graffiti on the sound wall north of Ralston Avenue at about 12:25 a.m. Monday and flagged down a Belmont officer at Ralston Avenue and Hiller Street, according to police.

The officer responded to the area and found four or five people spray painting on the sound wall on the west side of Highway 101 in San Mateo, just north of the Belmont city limit.

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The suspects ran away as soon as the officer arrived, and San Mateo officers responded as well to help with the search.

A short time later, a Belmont officer apprehended one of the suspects near Laurie Meadows Park in San Mateo, and a San Mateo officer arrested a second suspect.

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Kyle Klimas, 21, of Belmont, and a 16-year-old San Carlos boy were arrested on suspicion of vandalism, police said. Klimas was cited and released, and the juvenile was released to his parents.

The investigation into the identities of the other suspects who fled is continuing.

Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to call Belmont Police at 650-595-7400 or the Belmont Crime Tip Line at 650-598-3000; or San Mateo Police:

SMPD Investigations Bureau: 650-522-7650

SMPD Secret Witness hotline:  650-522-7676

Anonymous Text to SMPD: 650-262-3473

Anonymous E-Mail to SMPD: Sanmateo@tipnow.org


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