Arrest Made in Seven-Month Graffiti Investigation

RIVERSIDE, IL — Riverside police have arrested a Berwyn man they believe may be responsible for several years' worth of open graffiti cases.

Dylan L. Koca, 23 of the 3400 block of S. Harlem Ave in Berwyn, was arrested Aug. 9 and charged with one count of criminal defacement of property, though Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel said they expect to add more counts, including felonies, in the future.

Police identified Koca as a suspect in a Jan. 28 criminal damage to property on the back of a building in the 300 block of East Burlington Street. The word "fungi" was spray painted on the brick facade of the building, police reported. The building was unoccupied and was set to be refurbished.

Over the next seven months, police studied the wording and design of the graffiti, including unique teardrops at the end of each letter.

Investigators got a lead on Koca, and they matched the graffiti style to designs found in public places in other suburbs, such as Berwyn and Lyons.

Koca gave a written confession to the graffiti case in Riverside, police reported. He has been arrested three times before for criminal defacement of property by Lyons police.

"This was a key arrest, as the graffiti was extremely large and caused significant damage which cost the building owner hundreds of dollars to remove from the brick facade,” Weitzel said.

Photos courtesy of Riverside police.