Detroit police issue felony arrest warrant for street artist Shephard Fairey

A felony arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for artist Shephard Fairey, with Detroit Police accusing him of property crimes, including plastering posters of his work on city property.

Fairey allegedly put the posters up at nine locations around the city, causing damages of $9,105.54. Detroit Police Sgt. Rebecca McKay, who oversees the city's graffiti task force, said if Fairey doesn't turn himself in first, "when he returns to the area, he will be arrested." The maximum penalty is five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

In May, Fairey was in Detroit working on an 18-story commissioned mural on the former Compuware building. Before starting the piece, he told the Detroit Free Press he planned on posting unsolicited pieces across the city. "I still do stuff on the street without permission," he said. "I'll be doing stuff on the street when I'm in Detroit."

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