Suspects arrested in connection with Meyran vandalism

Pitt police arrested two women Tuesday in connection with graffiti painted on sidewalks, vehicles and houses on Meyran Avenue.

Pitt police noticed freshly painted graffiti at 4:05 a.m. Tuesday while on foot patrol, according to Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch. They chased and eventually apprehended two suspects in dark clothing.

Vandals had spray painted “[House number] Meyran has drugs” and other accusations directed toward two individuals on sidewalks on the 300 block of Meyran and a parking space on the 3500 block of Louisa Street.

The suspects also graffitied nine cars and two houses, Miksch said. They targeted a house on the 300 block of Meyran — the same one they accused of possessing and selling drugs — as well as a white garage door on York Way.

Police arrested a female not affiliated with the University on charges of criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy, processing instruments of a crime, harassment/threat and loitering and prowling at night. Police arrested the other suspect, a non-affiliated juvenile female, on charges of criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy and possessing instruments of a crime.

Many of the vandalized cars were parked on Meyran, where Arden Hawes, a senior communication science and sociology major, was parked Tuesday. She walked out of her house near noon to drive to her babysitting job in Squirrel Hill. As she walked down Meyran she saw graffiti on the sidewalk and other cars and started to worry the black paint might be on her car as well.

“Low and behold there it was. It was kind of like this huge build up to seeing my own car,” Hawes said, adding that she isn’t planning on pressing charges. “She obviously had a really bad day.”