Youths tag historical museum building

SALEM – Three youths from Revere and one from Salem were charged Friday with illegally spray painting the historical Yin Yu Tang House of the Peabody Essex Museum, police said.Andrew Stevens, 17, of 135 Lynnway, Revere, Joshua Bosco, 17, of 15 Alden St., Revere, Anthony Payne, 18, of 50 Freedom Hollow, Salem and a 15-year-old male juvenile from Revere were charged with tagging and malicious destruction of property at 9:30 p.m.The Yin Yu Tan House was built as an addition to the Peabody Essex Museum in 2003. The house was removed from its original village in Anhui Province, China where it was constructed in the early 19th century and relocated to Salem – brick by brick.The museum’s Web site touts the Yin Yu Tan House as a “rare example of the region’s (southeastern China) renowned architecture.” The house is now open to visitors who can learn through exhibits about the Huang family, who lived in the home for over 200 years.Police say officers found the word “Tone” written on the building and spray paint cans on the ground nearby. An officer saw a suspect allegedly throw one of the cans.On Saturday, investigators also discovered “Tone” sprayed onto the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on New Liberty Street.Police executed search warrants Saturday at Payne’s home and car because investigators believe he is connected to other graffiti acts in Salem, Marblehead and the state of Florida.Investigators found a “graffiti bible,” sketch drawings, numerous cans of spray paint and “a large quantity of graffiti-related paraphernalia” inside his 1998 Mercury Sable, according to a police log report.Payne is currently on pre-trial probation from Lynn District Court for eight counts of tagging and eight counts of willful and wanton destruction of property after being arrested by Marblehead police Aug. 10. At the time, he listed an address of 19 Abbot St., Marblehead.Police say evidence was recovered inside Payne’s home that links him to graffiti-related crimes in Florida, where he recently took a vacation.