Man sprays ink all over tattoo shop to show his ‘artistic abilities,’ AZ cops say
A man is accused of ransacking an Arizona tattoo shop and spraying its interior with ink to show off his “artistic abilities,” authorities said.
The 38-year-old is suspected of breaking into Lion’s Den Tattoo Company in Prescott shortly before 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, the Prescott Police Department wrote on Facebook.
After entering, the man began to “ransack the business by purposely breaking several items, spraying tattoo ink throughout the inside walls, floors, ceiling, and furniture, and destroying non reusable tattoo supplies,” according to police, resulting in about $100,000 in damages.
Police said they responded to a call about a burglary at the business around 9 a.m.
Hours before, around 3:30 a.m., officers made contact with the man covered in ink, which they initially thought was paint, a few blocks from the business, according to police.
Reporting officers followed up on this tip and found the man, who was still covered in ink, downtown, police said. After he “admitted his involvement,” he was arrested.
Though the 38-year-old does not have ties to Lion’s Den Tattoo Company, he told officers “he wished to be an apprentice and wanted to show his artistic abilities,” according to police.
The shop said on Facebook it planned on closing while repairing the shop “to provide our community a much better version of ourselves.”
“We appreciate all of your loyalty and support through this hard time,” the shop wrote.
The man was booked into Yavapai County Jail on “felony charges of burglary and criminal damages,” according to police.
Prescott is about 100 miles northwest of Phoenix.
