Newports, Graffiti 'Kit' Prompt Charges Against Darien Man

Respirator? Check. Rubber mask? Check. 11 cans of spray-paint? Check.

Those were among the graffiti implements police reportedly seized off of Meshach Kim, 20, on Sunday after a confrontation at the (138 Heights Road).

Kim was charged with interfering with an officer, second degree breach of the peace, and criminal attempt at second degree criminal mischief as a result of the incident. He is scheduled to appear in court March 23.

According to Capt. Fred Komm, a store manager contacted around 6:48 p.m. to report a disturbance between a customer and employees.

The manager told police that a man had entered the Walgreens to buy a pack of Newport cigarettes but was unable to show ID. After the cashier refused to sell to the man, he became irate and mouthed profanities as he left the store, the manager said.

But he returned five minutes later, Komm said, launching into a "obscenity-laden tirade" directed at the manager. Before leaving to catch a train, he allegedly warned "that he would be back."

Based on the manager's physical description, police located and approached Kim on the New York-bound platform of the . 

Komm said that while Kim acknowledged having been in the store, he was "very uncooperative" and "actively resisted" police, leading officers to handcuff him.

A subsequent inventory of Kim's backpack reportedly turned up a graffiti "kit" consisting of 11 cans of spray-paint, a respirator, a rubber mask, a flashlight, and latex gloves.

Police also found 16 mailing labels displaying various tags that officers recognized from the Brookside Drive area, Komm said, leading to a charge of attempt at criminal mischief.