Man charged over Flinders St Station tagging allegedly caused $200k damage across town

Police have charged a 23-year-old man after he allegedly scaled the outside of the Flinders Street Station building before tagging the heritage-listed site with unsightly graffiti.

A man has been charged after allegedly scaling the building and causing serious criminal damage. Picture: Jason Edwards

Police have charged a man after he allegedly scaled Flinders Street Station and caused more than $200,000 worth of criminal damage across the city.

Unsightly black and white graffiti tags were sprayed on the back of the heritage-listed railway station earlier last month.

The alleged serial graffiti tagger also left his mark inside the Westgate Tunnel Project in Spotswood and tagged buildings along the Sandringham, Sunbury, Mernda and Craigieburn railway lines.

Victoria Police said the man had caused more than $200,000 worth of criminal damage.

“It’s alleged on 12 January a man scaled and tagged the heritage listed facade of the building causing extensive damage,” the force said in a statement.

The graffiti appeared last month. Picture: Jason Edwards

Flinders Street Station Graffiti. Picture: Jason Edwards

Police executed search warrants at homes in West Footscray and Caulfield North this week, seizing spray paint, knuckle dusters and a samurai sword.

The 23-year-old West Footscray man has been charged with a string of offences including criminal damage and possessing a controlled weapon.

He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on February 8.

A ninja turtle themed ‘Pam the Bird’ spotted on a train in Melbourne. Picture: Just another bird Instagram

They had some choice words for police. Picture: Just another bird Instagram

‘Pam the Bird’ found on a sign on the West Gate freeway.

It comes after Jack Gibson-Burrell, 20, was charged over allegedly spray painting the “Pam the Bird” tag inside the city’s underground rail loop last year.

The notorious tag can be seen at dozens of locations across town, including freeway gantries, trains, warehouses and fences.

“Pam” has gained a cult following on social media and videos of the tag being performed have been celebrated online.

The bird has been spotted on the back of signs on the West Gate Bridge, several Metro Trains and food outlets near Todd Rd.

The Yarraville man was charged with criminal damage, possession of a graffiti implement, entering a private place without authority and three counts of resisting police.

Metro Trains removed 274,379 square metres of graffiti on the rail network in 2023.

“Graffiti has no place on our rail network and we will continue to work with Victoria Police to help deter this illegal behaviour,” a spokesperson said.

“Metro spends more than $10 million every year on graffiti and vandalism, with more than 60 graffiti removal specialists dedicated to the problem.”