Caught in the act criminal had etching acid too

Officers from the 114th Precinct spotted Keith Alva, 32, spray painting on a Marathon Bank on Broadway in Astoria last week, and after a brief chase, apprehended him.
Cops say he was found to also be in possession of etching acid, a new graffiti tool that vandals use to permanently mark windows on buildings and subways.
“They caught this punk red handed, now we should make sure he pays for destroying our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Peter Vallone. “I want this crime etched on his criminal record forever.”
Vallone said that Alva has a long criminal history, including arrests for burglary, robbery and drugs. He has been doing graffiti under the tag, “SIDE,” which police say is prevalent about the city.
Unlike other forms of graffiti, some of which can be painted over or cleaned, etching acid burns streaks into materials that cannot be removed, say officials. Etching acid can also be extremely dangerous. If someone encounters freshly applied acid, they could suffer serious burns.
Vallone has noted that this form of vandalism has grown increasingly prevalent in recent years, especially on subway car windows, costing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) $11 million annually to replace them.
In response, Vallone has introduced legislation calling for a license that would regulate the purchase and possession of etching acid.
“Paint and markers deface property, but acid downright destroys it. It can also burn your skin right down to the bone. That’s why we need to take it very seriously.” Vallone said.