Man arrested in $20,000 vandalism to downtown businesses

A Fresno man was booked in connection with an estimated $20,000 in damage caused by vandalism to downtown businesses, Fresno police reported Friday.

He was identified as Richard Contreras, 37.

Sgt. Leonard Cabrera said officers became aware of the vandalism after speeding to a report of an armed disturbance at the Crest Theatre in the 1100 block of Broadway Plaza. There, they found that the suspect had etched his moniker onto the front doors of the theater.

The officers, along with a sheriff’s deputy, reportedly encountered Contreras nearby etching graffiti onto another business.

Police are contacting five other businesses to asses the total amount of damage.

This story was originally published November 2, 2018 at 8:07 AM.