By NANCY HILER
Police said Dixon allegedly spray-painted "distinctive graffiti" onto six private homes, four businesses, five schools and a train station in the Bellmore and Merrick areas, "a serial graffiti pattern" that took place between June 10 and July 11.
The identity and details about the particular buildings in the community that received property damage could not be provided, police said, as the investigation is ongoing.
"The unusual shape of a crown and other items were spray-painted on the garage behind the Saw Mill Road School" recently, which may have been distinctive enough for police to link to a suspect, surmised North Bellmore School District Director of Facilities Chris Milano. "You can still see remnants of it on the building," he said. He explained that custodians had power-washed off the images, but the finish came off in the process, and they still have to repaint it. Newbridge Road School and Martin Avenue School properties also received graffiti damage in recent months, he added.
"[The spray painting] only started as the weather warmed up," he said, "since about April and through the summer." Milano said police were called when each incident occurred, and they took photos of the graffiti.
When asked if any Bellmore schools were affected, Bellmore School District Director of Facilities Joe Hendrickson said in a telephone interview, "We escaped this one." The last time buildings in the district were spray-painted, he said, was about a year ago last June, during a time when Newbridge Park and homes in the area were also damaged.
No one from the North Merrick or Merrick school districts could be reached at press time.
Police said the arrest came about as the result of the combined investigative effort by the 1st and 7th squads and the 1st Precinct Problem Oriented Police Unit.
Dixon, who lives across from Newbridge Road Elementary School, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment before Judge Valerie Bullard on July 12 in First District Court in Hempstead. His bail, which was originally set at $500 cash for each count, was reduced by Judge Edward Maron to $250 per incident at First District Court on Friday, July 14, against the objection of the prosecutor, a spokesperson from the Nassau County District Attorney's Office said.
His next appearance was scheduled before County Court Judge Jerald Carter at the Mineola criminal courthouse in Mineola on July 25, after press time.
Comments about this story? nhiler@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
