Cops Called for Vandalism at Boca Town Center Mall, Find Woman Covered in Spray Paint

The main entrance to the Boca Town Center mall, where two new restaurants are poised to open with outdoor dining. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Boca Raton police officers arrested a Deerfield Beach woman for vandalizing a portion of the parking garage at the Boca Town Center mall with spray paint after finding the woman at a bus stop covered in the same color paint that was used in the act of vandalism.

According to a report from police, officers were called to the mall July 8 at 1:10 p.m. for the report of a woman “causing a disturbance” and spray painting poles inside the mall. The suspect, described as a black female, was located at a nearby bus stop “covered in orange spray paint,” the report said.

“There was paint all over her arms, legs, hands and feet,” the report stated. “It appeared she had just spray painted her feet at the bus’ stop,” with outlines of paint visible on the concrete floor and bench.

The report went on to say that the woman, identified as Taneka Walls, 40, of Deerfield Beach, told police she had only painted her body – not any structure at the mall itself – however a mall security officer later told officers he witnessed the woman spray painting a stop sign outside the mall before seeing her walk to to bus stop.

Walls was charged with criminal mischief, with the damage estimated to be about $250. She was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and remained there over the weekend in lieu of $1,000 bail; no photo was available.