Artistic impulse ends badly in Nanaimo, B.C

A Vancouver Island man is facing charges after choosing a poor time and place to let his creative impulses flow.

Nanaimo RCMP say an officer was called to a doughnut shop on Sunday when staff reported someone had just spray-painted the shop floor.

The suspect was gone by the time police arrived, but as the officer was taking photos of the damaged floor, a bystander noticed someone was spray-painting the RCMP cruiser parked outside.

Const. Gary O'Brien says the person was "meticulously painting the windshield" before delivering a final blast of paint to the side of the cruiser as the officer ran up.

The 24-year-old suspect was promptly arrested and is waiting for a court date in February on two counts of mischief.

O'Brien says the officer was able to remove the spray paint using graffiti wipes.