Hermosa Beach Police last Wednesday arrested and charged a 21-year-old Lawndale man with four felony counts of vandalism.

According to Press Information Officer Paul Wolcott, Hermosa Sgt. Lance Heard arrested Jonathan Hall around 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 after he watched as Hall vandalized a local store by using a sharp tool to etch writing into the glass window.

Heard first observed Hall standing suspiciously in front of the Lily Pad flower shop located along lower Pier Avenue.

“We are not sure why he did this, it’s not our job to ask why,” said Wolcott. “Our job is just to catch and stop him, and prevent him from doing it again.”

Hall’s style, consisting of the actual writing and the way the window was vandalized, matched the m.o. (mode of operation) of six other vandalism crimes of downtown businesses such as the Comedy and Magic Club on Hermosa Avenue and Bank of America located on the pier plaza. The total damage of these crimes occurring during a two- to three-week period was estimated at $13,000.

Police believe Hall could have vandalized other businesses that may have never been reported by owners.

“We are not sure how many more businesses may have been affected; we believe not all of them were initially reported,” said Wolcott. “We sent some detectives out who went around to business owners to see if they had had any windows recently replaced from vandalism.”

Det. W.O. Charles interviewed Hall, a self-described tattoo artist, who admitted to vandalizing all six businesses along with producing more than 50 graffiti murals throughout Los Angeles County.

Officers searched his apartment and found photographs of several buildings and windows Hall had vandalized in the past.

“These crimes were like trophies to him and he would collect these trophies by taking photos of them,” added Wolcott.

Hall is now in custody at the Los Angeles County jail on $20,000 bail. If convicted, he could spend an excess of one year in state prison.