Early this morning, patrol officers responded to a call for service about a man breaking windows at a commercial building, which was captured on video, according to the SAPD.
Thanks to a vigilant witness and the police officers’ swift response, the suspect was arrested and booked for felony vandalism.
The suspect caused over $10,000 in damage.
It should be noted however that the SAPD response time is usually pretty awful – the department remains woefully understaffed and half of our City Council, including Council Members Johnathan Hernandez, Ben Vazquez and Jessie Lopez, want to defund the police.
In California, breaking over $10,000 worth of windows in a commercial building would be considered vandalism under Penal Code § 594. If the damage exceeds $10,000, the penalties can be quite severe. The offense can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances.
For damages of $10,000 or more, the penalties include:
- Imprisonment: Up to one year in county jail or imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
- Fines: A fine of up to $50,000.
- Both: The court may impose both imprisonment and fines12.
Additionally, the court may order the defendant to clean up, repair, or replace the damaged property, or perform community service related to graffiti removal or property maintenance1.
