Prolific Tagger DRO Caught by the NYPD

DRO, aka Deadly Ruthless Outlaw and Paul Mendez, was apprehended last week after an 8 month search. The police charged him with graffiti crimes in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan - apparently DRO doesn't like Staten Island.

Newsday reports that Mendez was actually arrested by the police last June, when he was trying to break into a store. Because, when you're a prolific tagger, there's nothing like tempting fate - and the law. The cops found DVDs in his car showing Mendez and other members of the All City Crew (ACC) tagging various places around town, which might have been a lucky break for the police, but Mendez was let out before the police could secure warrants for the DVDs!

The ACC has been around since the early 1990s, but DRO has been doing a lot of stuff in the past year or two. He was found last Wednesday at a homeless shelter in Brownsville, and he told police, "I'm DRO. I had stopped but I was challenged and that is when I started blowing up." Mendez, whose charges are related to graffiti from early last year, is currently out on bail. And last fall, the police arrested the "worst of the worst" graffiti taggers, MAP.

Photo of DRO tag from the Streets Are Saying Things; here are more DRO tags

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By Jen Chung in News on February 27, 2007 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

ALL YOU PEOPLE ARE GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET A LIFE ALL YOU PEOPLE ABOVE ME ALL OF YOU FUCKING FILTHY SLUTS!!!!

Dank

Wow. All of you idiots know nothing about graffiti. What Dro and ACC did is not "tagging". It's called graffiti, show some damn respect for their skills. I can't believe they posted a pic of a quick-filled throwie. It was probably the only thing that stupid-ass cameraman could read LOL!

All You See

you people are stupid...you make me laugh HAHAHAHA...you guys are real funny...exept for comment number 5...ur cool...graffiti might not be art for u old geezers but its fun...

Graffitti is not art.

Good. Get this scum off the street.

fishtale

NEWSFLASH-- he probably wasn't trying to break into a store. use your brain

Daniel

I hope they throw the book at the entire crew. Tagging is not art, its destruction to other peoples property.

Griggity Grimace

ACC running things in the 06/07!! Whan Whaaan!

It was a pleasure to see DRO and the rest of ACC getting Kold Getting Busy the last few years and taking the town to task in a way that hasn't been done in a hot minute. Keep NY fresh oh yes :) :)

Ressssssssssspeckt!

Brightliner

Newsday reports that Mendez was actually arrested by the police last June, when he was trying to break into a store. Because, when you're a prolific tagger, there's nothing like tempting fate - and the law.

This is a surprise? Taggers aren't geniuses. Look at the idiot kid who got himself run over by a train, comments about him being a "computer wiz" (probably coming from friends and relatives who can barely operate a mouse) notwithstanding. They tag because they have no other way to make an impression on the world. None of their skills are marketable, especially their paltry "art" skills.

Schadenfreudian Mensch

"The ACC has been around since the early 1990s"

And how old are these geezers to be still doing this? It's really sad when you're in your mid 40's and living in a homeless shelter to be still "tagging."