FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Fort Myers police arrested a 19-year-old man accused of vandalizing the historic Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers after investigators said surveillance footage helped identify the suspect.

According to the Fort Myers Police Department, Rolando Velasquez-Castro was arrested Monday, Nov. 2, and charged with criminal mischief involving historic property.

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Police said management at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center reported Oct. 31 that an unknown individual had spray-painted several exterior columns of the historic building.

Detective Whyte was assigned to the case Monday and began reviewing surveillance footage, which police said helped identify a suspect.

According to FMPD, Whyte worked with Downtown Bike Unit Officers Simonetti and Zuniga to locate Velasquez-Castro. Investigators said they obtained a confession.

Velasquez-Castro was subsequently arrested and charged under Florida Statute 806.13(3), which addresses criminal mischief involving certain historic properties.

Historic limestone columns damaged

In an earlier Facebook post, the art center expressed concern about the damage and the challenges of restoring its historic limestone columns.

“We were saddened to discover that someone recently vandalized the exterior columns of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center with spray paint,” the art center said.

The center explained that removing graffiti from the building requires specialized treatment to avoid causing further damage.

“Our columns are made of delicate historic limestone that cannot simply be painted over or cleaned with conventional methods. Removing the paint requires specialized care to avoid permanently damaging the stone,” the art center said.

Built in 1933, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center has been part of downtown Fort Myers for more than 90 years.

The art center previously said it was working with the city and consulting professionals to determine how to clean and restore the damaged columns.

The Fort Myers Police Department said it remains committed to protecting the city’s historic landmarks and preserving the character of downtown Fort Myers.

Authorities have not released an estimate of the damage or the cost of restoring the columns.