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The cops have finally nabbed “Rex” and “Guder.”
Police say they have collared the graffiti-writing duo that has been hitting the northern part of Brooklyn Heights for months — ending the reign of terror just after noon on Nov. 9, when Officer Freddy Ahmetaj of the 84th Precinct collared the painters outside a building on Henry Street at Clark Street.
Cops identified their suspects as Rex Ikwueme, aka Rex, a 20-year-old freshman at Pace University, originally from Maryland.
His 19-year-old partner in crime is Joseph Daiuto, also known as Guder, from Hawthorne, N.J., police said.
The taggers were charged with numerous counts of criminal mischief, making graffiti and possession of graffiti instruments like spray paint. A police source said that the duo confessed to the crimes.
Heights residents said that the pair was throwing up tags until the very last.
“He hit a building at the corner of Clark and Hicks last night,” wrote a commenter on the Brooklyn Heights Blog on Nov. 9. “Paint was still wet this morning.”
As news of the arrest spread, Heights insiders cheered the police — and called for stiff prosecution.
“There will be pressure on the District Attorney’s office to do more than just a slap on the wrist,” said Rob Perris, district manager of Community Board 2. “We’re not talking about 14-year-olds. This is not a youthful indiscretion, but an adult decision.”
Irene Janner of the Brooklyn Heights Association added that the arrests will calm some local worries that the bad old days were returning.
“Graffiti makes you feel like your neighborhood hasn’t been maintained, like back in the 1970s,” she said.
Janner added a personal message to would-be graffiti vandals: “Don’t do it. There are other places you can exercise your artistry. Trashing other people’s property is not the way.”
©2009 Community Newspaper Group
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