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Chicago Transit Authority is adopting a stricter policy to prosecute vandals, as a Chicago man recently found out after he etched letters into six panes of glass on a CTA rail platform.



Last week, the man pled guilty to charges of felony criminal damage to state-supported property and will spend three years in prison. This is the first time someone has been charged with a felony for acid etching on CTA property, according to a prepared statement.



CTA also has filed a civil lawsuit against the man, seeking $1,700 for repairing the damage.



"The CTA is serious about maintaining a clean and safe environment for customers," said CTA Chairman Valerie Jarrett. "We spend approximately $4.45 million annually to clean up graffiti, and replace etched class on our vehicles and facilities, and we would rather see these funds used to maintain and upgrade the system."



CTA isn’t the only transit system taking a tougher stance on vandalism. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority recently implemented a Graffiti Hotline in an effort to reduce graffiti and improve safety.



A person can report areas in MARTA’s system with graffiti by calling 404-848-3939. MARTA’s goal is to remove any reported graffiti within 24 hours of a hotline call.