By Tim Binnall
A Florida community 'haunted' by a graffiti artist with a ghostly calling card can rest easy as cops have arrested the accused vandal, who offered an odd explanation for his handiwork. According to a local media report, the case of the Tarpon Springs tagger began a few months ago when police noticed a series of cartoonish 'spirits' had popped up at various places around the city. A break in the case occurred in mid-June when a park security camera captured footage of the vandal as he was entering the location before producing yet another of his rather charming drawings of an affectionate ghost.
Authorities subsequently provided the video to local media in the hopes that someone could identify the vandal, which proved to be his undoing as his employer immediately recognized him. Suggesting that there may have been some previous tension in their workplace, the manager not only dropped a dime on Christopher Thomas Rhodes, but even told police that he had been boasting about his ghosts. Upon being taken into custody, police say, the alleged vandal confessed to the crime with the caveat that his 'spirits' were superior to other graffiti in the area, which he lamented was "poor artwork." While that could be the case, cops had a less subjective take on the law and charged Rhodes with criminal mischief.