By Jeremy Walsh
A Dutch man may face prison time after being indicted for allegedly spray painting graffiti on a No. 7 train subway car and leading an officer on a foot chase along the elevated train tracks near Shea Stadium, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Robbert Boxem, 23, of Zwolle, the Netherlands, was charged in a nine-count indictment, including reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, making graffiti, trespassing and possession of graffiti instruments.
If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison, Brown said.
“City officials and anti-graffiti activists have worked very hard over the years — with great success — to keep our subways, highways and buildings from becoming the graffiti-scarred eyesores they were in the past,” Brown said in a statement. “Unfortunately, there is now a serious and growing problem of international graffiti tourism, with graffiti vandals coming to the United States.”
Boxem and two other suspects allegedly trespassed onto the elevated subway tracks at Roosevelt Avenue and Willets Point Boulevard at approximately 2:15 a.m. Sept. 9, Brown said.
Boxem allegedly began spray painting his tag, “KRAE,” on the side of one subway car in four different colors. He and his partners allegedly spray painted a total of three tags on two cars, causing more than $1,000 in damage, Brown said.
Police Officer Edwardo Segui spotted the three suspected vandals and gave chase, Brown said. He and other officers from the Citywide Vandals Task Force caught Boxem, but the other two perpetrators escaped, the DA said.
In his flight, Boxem allegedly ran onto live subway tracks during the chase in a location where a subway train had just passed, Brown said. He jumped off the tracks, down to a viaduct and down to the street before being captured, the DA said.
Boxem was released on $5,000 bail, Brown said, noting he is believed to have been in the city to attend the Meeting of Styles, an international graffiti event that took place the weekend before his arrest.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
