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Arrests Made In Racist Graffiti Case

Two Teens Admit Their Involvement, Police Say

POSTED: 9:28 am MST July 8, 2008
UPDATED: 9:15 am MST July 10, 2008

Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with a burglary and spraying of racist graffiti at a woman's home in Mesa.

Information that the victim gave to detectives after Monday night's incident led to the arrest of the first teen.

Elizabeth Williams said a friend of one of her sons had called the house shortly after she had left for work. Although the call was not answered, the caller ID logged the call which detectives later said was the key to cracking the case.

The first teen questioned and arrested identified his accomplice, who, after being located, admitted his involvement, police said.

The teens said they sprayed racial slurs, including "white power," throughout the home in an attempt to make their burglary look like a hate crime, Mesa police detectives said.

"I'm angry that someone violated my home and came in," Williams said. "I go to work, I pay taxes, I should have a sense of security and I do not."

The thieves stole her children's video games and the keys to her home and car, she said.. They even ate a frozen pizza, had something to drink and put their dishes in the dishwasher.

Elizabeth Williams

"It's a terrible situation," said Detective Chris Arvayo on Tuesday. "Just being burglarized is hard enough, but when you have hate messages, that adds even more of an element of not feeling comfortable in your own home."

The vandals used the doggy door to enter the home, investigators said.

The teens led detectives to the stolen property, police said. With the exception of some items of jewelry, all of the property was recovered, investigators said.

Each teen was booked on one count of second-degree burglary and one count of felony criminal damage.

Police said due to the nature of the graffiti, the case was also referred to the Maricopa County attorney's office to be reviewed as a hate crime.

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