Thursday, 4:30 PM
After arrests at train yard, police brace for graffiti artist gathering
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff, and Michael Naughton, Globe Correspondent
Transit police are bracing for a wave of up vandals streaming into Boston this weekend for an underground gathering of graffiti artists as law enforcement steps up patrols to curb a spike in illicit, spray-painted murals on trains.
Officers arrested five out-of-town suspects near a subway train yard in Braintree at 1:45 a.m. who came from as far away as Berlin, Germany. Authorities allege the men were caught in a rented red sports utility vehicle brimming with paint fumes and had 39 spray cans, rubber gloves, spray nozzles, cameras, hand warmers, a GPS positioning system, and other tools of the trade.
The men, transit police allege in court documents, had just finished vandalizing trains in a yard near Forest Hills station in Jamaica Plain, where MBTA cars had been saturated in beige, white, blue, pink and purple paint. Officers allege that the men then drove to Braintree to strike another rail yard but were caught on an access road.
Attorney Neil Madden, who is defending Marius Schmieling, 25, of Dortmund, Germany, said the five men were looking for somewhere to eat in Braintree and had nothing to do with any graffiti.
"They don't know anything about a [graffiti artist] convention," said Madden, adding that his client was questioned by police about the event.
"They are a little shocked," Madden said. "They are not used to dealing with the criminal justice system. They came here for a holiday. They came here to see Boston, see friends, and have fun."
All five men pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to graffiti today in Quincy District Court. The other suspects were identified as Michael R. Zieper, 22, of Waunakee, Wis; Christphe Chevalier, 27, of Petit Lancy, Switzerland; Tom J. Grundmann, 23, of Berlin, Germany; and Philip Lozito, 23, of Charlotte, N.C.
Judge Diane Moriarty demanded that the three foreigners to surrender their passports and ordered all five men to stay off MBTA property. She also impounded the red SUV.
The men did not respond to reporters' questions about the case when they left court and squeezed into a red taxi. Lozito, who had wrapped his head in a beige scarf, did stop to ask a female newspaper photographer on a date.
Transit police worry that the incidents this morning could be the start of a destructive weekend.
"We really anticipate the potential for serious damage over the next 72 hours," said MBTA Lieutenant Mark Gillespie, who wanted to publicize the arrests to discourage graffiti artists. "We are going to be on heightened alert."
Transit officials have seen a spike in graffiti since mid January, Gillespie said. Some of the vandalism has covered the entire sides of train cars, he said.
Boston police will also be on heightened alert this weekend, Gillespie said.
