Outside Bill’s Liquors
April 21, 2015 By Christian Murray
They just had to leave their mark—and now they have been busted.
The police arrested two men earlier this month who they believe are responsible for spray-painting the tag SBR throughout Sunnyside, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.
Francis Gallagher and Michael Martinez were arrested April 9 after they were seen tagging SBR on a wall near the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge. The police observed fresh spray paint on their hands—although Gallagher said he was responsible for spraying the tag.
The men were then linked to the SBR tags throughout Sunnyside and further charges were brought later that day, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office. Gallagher was cited as the individual most responsible for the tag.
Gallagher, 25, was arrested on multiple counts of criminal mischief and faces up to 3 years in prison, according to a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.
The criminal complaint against Gallagher ties him to several incidents in Sunnyside.
Cafe Bene
The police said Gallagher admitted to a series of offences such as spraying SBR on the walls at 42-26 43rd Avenue (Bill’s Liquors), 41-31 Queens Blvd (Café Bene), 39-13 Queens Blvd and the residential building located at 43-33 42nd Street. He also claimed responsibility for spraying a light pole.
A police officer at the 108 Precinct who was working on the case claimed that he doesn’t expect to see any new incidents.
Rachel Thieme, the executive director of Sunnyside Shines who has been working with the police on the case, said “I want to extend our thanks to the 108th precinct for the great police work,” adding that “this individual has caused significant property damage to Sunnyside businesses and I hope the arrest sends a message that this type of criminal act is not tolerated in Sunnyside.”
44 Comments
To Anonymous of August 31: I don’t believe anyone really wants SBR to rot away in Rikers, become someone’s beeyatch, etc etc … well, maybe some people…but I think the majority of residents who commented here were just expressing relief that finally one of our many local graffiti vandals was caught. You mentioned the drunks and garbage and cig butts… well, graffiti is just as depressing to a community as all of that. I think writing graffiti (and pot-smoking) certainly made SBR depressed, or exacerbated depression he already had. In his FB photos, he always looked very sad. I sincerely hope that he finds happiness, and an outlet for his creativity that does not involve destroying property in his own community (seriously, how can destroying your own community make a person happy?). I hope SBR is okay, I hope he gets the help he needs, and I hope he finds a way to express himself that does not involve vandalism.
Pretty sure I know this moron. He’s definitely got a criminal justice history. His family too! I hope he’s going to be incarcerated for awhile. Something tells me he’d be happy to brag about his arrest. Guy is doing much more than smoking weed & needs a good life lesson.
That’s very nice! Talking about his family too. What if someone in ur family had problems I bet u wouldn’t be singing the same tune. And how do u know what he is doing? Would u like it if someone said maybe u were supplying it. What he did was wrong. Why don’t u complain about all the drunks walking around at night especially on the weekends beer bottles cigarette butts etc
And all the other crimes going on
Great 108th. Now please get Leso off the streets too. I had heard he lived on 45th St. by Radio Shack and he is not young either. Not only has he written all over everything but even spray painted Leso on my car a while ago. Please let’s clean up our neighborhood of these a–holes.
The guy has a record for smoking pot, so his prints are in the system. This is why low level crimes matter!
Anyone see the graffiti on 52nd Street between Roosevelt and Skillman today? It seems to have appeared overnight, and it is lining the first half of the west side of the block, towards Roosevelt.
what a moron
posting his crap on social media he was begging to be caught
let me guess?
high school dropout
lives with parents
no job
smokes pot daily
drinks daily
pseudo tough guy
am i warm
I think your on the right track.
Judging by the f-book account of one of the SBR taggers (which was linked to the previous article showing SBR tagging in progress), he does indeed love him some pot. He was busted for smoking pot a couple years ago (again, according to one of his own f-book post).
i’m glad he was caught, but 3 years seems like a bit much. have him pay fines and clean up the mess he made.
He hit the construction wall at PS11 a few times …..
Rangers win, Rangers win!
Someone is dumping garbage early in the morning on 43d street and 43d avenue every day and no one even calls 311. It shows the lack of caring in the neighborhood.
Did you call, El Loco? Or do you just complain that somebody isn’t doing it for you?
Please call 311, even if you have to do it over and over again. There is chronic dumping on one block in my neighborhood too. I clean up what I can, but when there is too big a pile, or when it’s furniture or construction materials, I call 311. The DSNY has been wonderful- they usually pick up the dumping within a day. In addition to calling 311, please also report the chronic dumping problem online: https://www1.nyc.gov/apps/311universalintake/form.htm?serviceName=DSNY+Dirty+Dumping+Sidewalk
S.B.R. I don’t know what the S stands for but the BR most likely is Bombing Runs. A “bombing run” means that a vandal is going to go out and tag up. There’s another local group that uses this lingo “XBM” which stands for “Extreme Bombing Runs”. They run with a local girl named Stephanie who uses the tag “Kirby”. She works at a coffee shop near White Castle. Her preferred tagging area is Sunnyside, Woodside and Astoria just like this Moron.
Snitch.smh
Snitch? No. A snitch is a criminal who rats out someone in exchange for a bargain. This is an example of a decent member of the community who outs an idiot who thinks it’s ok to deface property that they don’t own or know the value of.
You want to know why this neighborhood us safe? Because clowns don’t get away with crimes here, people see something and say something. You don’t like that, go live in the projects, you perp pos.
no a snitch or rat is someone who gives up information on someone else, whether they are paid, getting off a crime they did etc.
I’m so happy this pathetic little sh!t was caught. Time to pay up, loser! Your tagging is basic and bland. You have no skill.
SBR: Sunnyside’s Biggest Retard.
What a stupid idiot this gallagher is. Didnt you ever hear of this new thing the have now? I heard theyre called security cameras you stupid effin clown. 25 yrs old and your spraying peoples property. I know 25 yr old men who fight for this country, others that hold down 2 jobs to better their lives or support their familys. Way to go gallagher, you make your parents the most embaressed people around.you stupid fool
Deport him to Bronx or Flatbush or Jamaica ‘hoods, let’s see if he can pull this sh*t there. They’ll tag his ass before he gets a chance to tag any wall in those neighborhoods. Sunnyside is way too nice to criminals. How many times do you think someone saw this lowlife but did not anything about it?
Clearly yu never gone to the hood. Have yu been in brookyln? Flatbush buswich? Nothing but graf there idiot .
Exactly . if he paints in that “hood” real writers will slap him silly !
what a pair of idiots, glad they’ve been caught, grow up
good work officers. Send this piece of garbage to jail before the city council decriminalizes vandalism. Now catch the criminal ho is dumping garbage on 43d street and 43d avenue.
They will most likely do community service, and will have to stay out of the radar for 2 yrs, if they get caught doing anything illegal during the 2 yrs, their cases will be reopened & looked at again and reviewed for further consideration to see if harsher punishments will be necessary.
Post a pic of these fools!
What does SBR stand for ?
Sunnyside’s Biggest Rejects.
SBR = Sucks Balls Really
Excellent work by all involved!!! I hope he rots in jail
Seriously, send them to work with the Woodside Neighborhood Association and Fire Alarm Guy, the good volunteers who have been painting over SBR (and other graffiti) for years. Far more effective than jail time would be making these peeps paint over their own tags. And it would keep them busy for a LONG time!
No! send him to Rikers for a few months. No its not a serious crime but he needs to spend some time with the boys try on some pink lipstick and be someone’s Bi@*h so he doesn’t do this again.
Real nice comment to become someone’s b**ch in rikers for graffiti, maybe giving them outlets to display artwork like the 5 point instead of taking them away to put up more condos that most people cannot afford. Most of these graffiti tag gets are actually great artists. What about basquait he tagged all over. But that was considered art please tell me the difference
real nice, shows where your head is at, or do you wear the pink lipstick
oh i see the article says up to three years. still, i doubt he’ll get much.
Restitution is always involved as well.
glad they got em. but does anyone know what the penalties are for graffiti? my guess is they spend a few nights in jail, get some kind of probation or pay a fine, and then they’re back out on the streets with their little spray cans, plus a chip on their shoulder.
Good work 108 Pct. And Sunnyside Post as well.
Tell all your neighbors, relatives, landlord and merchants and anyone else who may have incurred a cleanup expense from this vandal to put in for restitution.
25? Isn’t that a little old for this nonsense?