Police nab man suspected in vandalism of Pennywise box
The utility box in downtown Hermosa that was allegedly vandalized last Friday. Courtesy photo
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt — or at least until someone gets caught in the act.
Hermosa Beach police arrested a man last week after witnesses claim he vandalized the downtown utility box covered with art depicting prominent South Bay punk bands.
Oliver Theess, a 53-year-old Redondo Beach resident, was booked on suspicion of vandalism at Hermosa Beach Police station on Friday afternoon, and released on bail of $500 later that day, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Inmate Information Center.
The incident began about 1:45 p.m. Friday when a passerby witnessed a man scratching at the vinyl-wrapped box at the corner of Pier and Hermosa avenues. The passerby called the police and followed the man, then waved down officers and pointed the man out.
When officers confronted the suspect, the man initially said that the damage to the utility box had been “an accident,” said HBPD Sgt. Robert Higgins, but later admitted to doing it on purpose.
The box has previously been targeted on other occasions in the past, but Theess was only arrested in connection with Friday’s incident, Higgins said.
The box is one of eight throughout the city decorated with art depicting various aspects of Hermosa’s culture. The installation served as the project for the Leadership Hermosa Beach class of 2016 and was handled by local artists. Others themes included surfing and early Hermosa history
The vandalized punk-themed box downtown was designed by M1SK, an art-and-apparel collective that celebrates Southern California culture. It features a variety of old concert flyers and insignia in various colors from South Bay acts Pennywise, the Descendents, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks. Friday’s vandalism appeared focused on a segment of the box depicting Pennywise.
At the time the project was decided on, those working on the project cited the experiences of other cities that had chosen to beautify utility boxes, including Culver City, where officials said that covering the boxes with vinyl had made the project last longer than painting them. And backers said that the decision to decorate the utility coverings not only beautify the city but would discourage graffiti on them.
The repeated incidents of vandalism to the punk-themed box have created minor tensions between the City Council and Leadership Hermosa. Last month, when representatives from this year’s Leadership Class made a presentation on their project, to erect distance markers on the seawall along The Strand, several council members asked pointed questions about ongoing maintenance for the project and pointed to the experience with the utility boxes.