LOS ANGELES – Graffiti has risen to high art in downtown Los Angeles: Taggers have covered at least 27 stories of an unfinished high-rise development.
The vandalism is the latest twist in the saga of the three-tower project across the street from where the Grammy Awards will be hosted Sunday, the Crypto.com Arena — which is near the Los Angeles Convention Center and the L.A. Live dining and events complex in the city's expanding entertainment district.
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The towers were going to house a hotel and luxury condos, but the project stalled in 2019 when the Beijing-based developer ran out of money, the Los Angeles Times reported.
City officials say the graffiti is not there to stay.
The Police Department's Central Division said in a social media post that officers met with the property management and representatives of the area's City Council district to collaborate on efforts to better secure the property.
“The measures will be implemented immediately and the graffiti will be removed,” it said.
Taggers were reported to be seen at the property repeatedly this week, according to the police department.
A police helicopter crew spotted more than a dozen people trespassing and possibly spray-painting the building at 12:43 a.m. Tuesday, the statement said. Two men, ages 35 and 25, were arrested by patrol units, issued citations and released.
On Thursday, suspects were reported spray-painting a site on the 30th floor and officers were told the suspects fled in a vehicle. Officers ultimately stopped the vehicle and cited the driver for failure to yield, police said. The passenger was questioned and released.