Suspect Arrested Over Graffiti Outbreak: Is This The Elusive ‘Wormy’?

Published on: 25 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 29 Apr, 2025

The graffiti signature of the person with the pseudonym ‘Wormy’

A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to council property following multiple reports of graffiti in Guildford and Woking.

In recent weeks, police have been made aware of graffiti tagged under the pseudonym of “Wormy”. Following on from the reports, police have identified at least 64 separate instances of graffiti across the two towns, marking a significant surge in property damage.

The suspect has since been released on bail as officers continue their investigation.

As the Dragon reported earlier this month, Wormy is the name of a graffiti tagger who has been leaving their mark in public places around Guildford.

Tagging is where a signature is spray-painted in a stylised manner onto a wall, bus shelter, statue, property or any other surface and sometimes has the effect of claiming the surface or area is in the tagger’s territory.

Wormy has become so prolific in the Guildford area that Crimestoppers said they were offering £1,000 for information leading to the culprit’s identity.

Following the arrest of the 19-year-old, a spokesperson for the Neighbourhood Policing Team for Guildford said: “We understand that criminal damage such as graffiti can impact the local community and damage the surroundings. To limit the impact, we work closely with the local council to gather an understanding of key areas that are impacted by graffiti, and we conduct regular patrols to combat such crimes.”