Written by Phil Mills, and published on the This Is Brighton and Hove site at http://www.thisisbrighton.co.uk/

Police swooped on a home and arrested a man in connection with "bouncing doughnut" graffiti attacks. Yesterday's raid followed a month-long police investigation involving the use of hidden surveillance cameras. The man was arrested in connection with the hunt for a serial graffiti vandal who has left his distinctive 'bouncing doughnut' tag around Hove.

The suspect was led away in handcuffs for questioning at Hove police station. The Brighton City Centre Business Forum has offered a £500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the offender and The Argus published posters showing the offender's face and appealing for information. Forum spokesman Tony Mernagh said homeowners and business were fed up with property being daubed. Police said the doughnut tag alone had cost the city thousands of pounds in cleaning and repainting.

Officers in Brighton this week released video pictures of another graffiti vandal in action at The Level, Brighton. His tag is a picture of a child with a speech bubble showing the words NUT NUT.

The video pictures were taken by a member of the public, angry about the damage caused to the city and its image. Sergeant Steve French, of Brighton police, said: "We are extremely grateful to the member of the public and we would urge others to help us. Graffiti makes the city look seedy and run down and it encourages other acts of vandalism."

Superintendent Graham Cox, Hove police commander, said the bouncing doughnut vandal was suspected of at least 15 graffiti attacks.