HOME VANDALIZED; POLICE HOLD MAN, YOUTH IN GRAFFITI CASE.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

An 18-year-old Palmdale man, on probation for committing $30,000 in graffiti vandalism, was arrested Tuesday in the spray-painting of threats to a pair of sisters who rebuffed his advances, officials said.

Officials said vandals returned at least twice over the weekend to spray-paint threats on two homes near the girls' home in the 1500 block of Berkshire Street, officials said.

They also burglarized one of the homes, stealing a stereo, television set and VCR, and spraying black paint around inside.

``He got into a boyfriend-girlfriend argument when (the girls) refused to date him,'' said Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Dan Ross. ``He said he was going to come back and kill them.''

Greg Pettit, 18, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, burglary and making terrorist threats shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday after he ran from deputies who spotted him jumping over a block wall near the housing tract where he lives. He was found hiding behind a house, deputies said.

A 17-year-old youth who deputies believe assisted Petit was arrested Tuesday at Highland High School and taken to Sylmar Juvenile Hall. The juvenile's name was not released because of his age.

The man's arrest is part of a crackdown on graffiti in the Antelope Valley that has virtually eliminated spray-painted tags on buildings in Palmdale and Lancaster.

Graffiti in the Antelope Valley has been on a downward trend since 1994 - the result of aggressive cleanup programs, rewards for information on graffiti vandals, requirements that stores lock up spray-paint stocks and prosecution of vandals on felony rather than misdemeanor charges.

Officials also began collecting restitution from graffiti vandals or their parents and suspending driving privileges as punishment. In November, Ross was named Palmdale's full-time graffiti investigator.

Officials believed the weekend vandalism amounted to more than $25,000 in damage. A city technician went to work Tuesday morning painting over the graffiti.

The homes and block walls around the well-kept westside housing tract were spray-painted with a tagging moniker, gang names and threats - such as ``187,'' the penal code section for murder.

Officials believe the vandals targeted two homes they thought were vacant, but broke through a window when they saw one contained valuables.

``This is a total violation, to come into someone's house and destroy it like this,'' Ross said.

Deputies said Petit was arrested in October and convicted on a felony count of graffiti vandalism. Deputies said they believed he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, but served only until November. He also was placed on probation for five years.

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PHOTO (1-2--Color) Above, a Palmdale Public Works employee cleans up graffiti Tueday on a home in the 1500 block of Berkshire Street. Officers inspect graffiti they believe was left in retaliation on the home of two sisters by a spurned suitor. Two suspects have been taken into custody.

Bhavna Mistry/Daily News