Vandal spray painted the Riverwalk skate park. His tattoo gave him away, cops say

In a case of what Mayor Wayne Poston called “dumb crook news,” Bradenton police investigators say they had no trouble identifying the person who vandalized the Riverwalk skate park with graffiti on April 16.

Police Chief Melanie Bevan said investigators were able to hone in on the suspect’s tattooed forearm and realized it resembled what the vandal had left behind on the skate park.

Police arrested Michael Conforti, 18, of Bradenton, and charged him with felony criminal mischief.

“The security cameras demonstrated the individual was copying a tattoo that was on his left forearm and we were able to apprehend him,” Bevan said.

Jim McLellan, public works director, said the damags cost the city about $1,100 to repair.

Conforti was arrested Wednesday without incident at his job at Dunkin Donuts on Cortez Road and booked into the Manatee County jail. He was released later in the day after he posted a $1,000 bond.

According to the police report, Conforti entered the skate park area around 3 a.m. on April 16 and spray painted areas of the skate park walls, as well as the bathrooms.

Police say Conforti was the only one seen on Riverwalk surveillance cameras spray painting in both areas. After spraying the pain, Conforti and three other suspects left the area in a white four-door vehicle.

Police say Conforti admitted to spray painting “GVAV” in black at the bathroom seating area

During the interview with Conforti at hiswork, police confirmed a “GVAV” tattoo was on his left forearm.

Conforti told police he was, “doing drugs and drinking that night,” the police report states.

This story was originally published April 24, 2019 at 2:21 PM.