Petaluma man suspected in graffiti from Bakersfield to Seattle

Detectives with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest this week of a 21-year-old Petaluma man suspected of tagging freeways, parks and fences from as far south as Bakersfield all the way up to Seattle, including at several locations in the Bay Area.

Officers with the Santa Cruz Police Department arrested Derek Murphy around 10 a.m. Monday at his Petaluma home, officials said.

Four Sonoma County sheriff’s detectives specializing in property crimes secured the perimeter outside Murphy’s home while police served a search warrant for his arrest, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sgt. Cecile Focha said.

Murphy was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on multiple felony charges, including vandalism, burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. His bail is set at $5,000.

Police said they seized sketch books, photos and digital cameras - what officers called evidence of hundreds of tags reading “BERG.”

“We’re looking at hundreds of images, and working with other agencies to see if we can recognize where the tags are,” said Deputy Chief Steve Clark with the Santa Cruz Police Department. He’s certainly made himself a trail.”

Santa Cruz police, who started their investigation into the suspected vandalisms of public and private property in June, said they are looking for another possible suspect.