BRIEFLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY:Gang graffiti at high school

Workers at Newport Harbor High School discovered graffiti throughout the school’s athletic facilities Tuesday and Thursday, and police said they recognized it as the work of a Costa Mesa gang.

“They were monikers we haven’t seen before,” said school Principal Michael Vossen. He added that graffiti was not usually a problem there, but he wants to talk to the district about using graffiti-proof paint.

Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Department said that spray paint across the girls’ gym, the tennis courts, the stadium and some storage bins caused $1,600 in damage. He said investigators recognized the initials of a Costa Mesa gang, and Costa Mesa gang investigators were trying to identify suspects.

Vossen said one thing that made the tagging easier is that there is no gate around the campus.

“You could walk onto this campus from any entrance at any point in time, which for our school is definitely an issue,” he said. “It’s not something we can shut down.”

Man held in connection with 2004 carjacking attempt

A Costa Mesa man was being held at Newport Beach Jail on $100,000 bail Thursday in connection with a 2004 carjacking attempt in the parking lot of the Newport Beach Tennis Club.

A replica handgun and a hat led police to Joshua Muniz, 20, who was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempted carjacking at his home in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

On Jan. 28, 2004, Muniz allegedly pointed the replica gun at a man in the parking lot of the tennis club as the victim walked to the trunk to get his tennis racket. After demanding the man hand over his keys, Muniz reportedly got into a fight with the man and subsequently fled the scene, according to police.

DNA from the replica handgun and hat were entered into a computer database, which recently identified Muniz.

Sailor said he did not know if Muniz had any prior convictions; California’s Proposition 69, passed in 2004, mandates that all convicted felons, in addition to some arrestees for very serious crimes, have their DNA added to the database.

Muniz was expected to be transferred to Orange County Jail today, Sailor said.