A Sutton man who performs with a hardcore rock band is among four charged in connection with a graffiti investigation in Toronto’s west end.

Between December 2007 and March, Toronto police probed graffiti tags spray-painted, inked and etched on walls, signs and vehicles in the The Queensway and Islington Avenue area of south Etobicoke.

Officers linked graffiti tags displaying the words CAHOOTS, RIFF RAFF, GET LOOSE and GYS to the investigation. The tags can be found throughout Toronto, mainly on commercial buildings, police said.

Officers have not found any significance to the tags, Toronto police said.

Among those charged in the case are members of a band called Liferuiner, police confirmed.

The Sutton man is a singer in the band.

Four men were arrested Friday night at O’Grady’s Tap & Grill in Uxbridge where the band was playing a show.

According to the band’s Myspace page, which can be accessed by logging onto www.myspace.com/xlifexruinerx, Liferuiner is scheduled to play Poughkeepsie, New York, Friday before heading out on a tour across the United States.

“A fill-in singer and former drummer were recently detained on a vandalism charge last weekend,” a statement posted to the band’s blog says.

“This does not affect our upcoming tour in any way, shape or form ...
“All the shows will be happening as planned. Don’t believe the papers.”

Members of the band recently lived near where the Toronto officers concentrated their investigation, police said.

A 19-year-old Sutton man, a 20-year-old Uxbridge man, an 18-year-old Kirkfield man and a 20-year-old St. Catharines man are each charged with seven counts of mischief.

They were scheduled to appear in court Saturday.

If you have any information, call Toronto police at 416-808-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.