DULUTH — A Duluth man believed to have repeatedly scrawled the word "plunger" on public and private buildings has been charged with felony-level damage to property and fleeing a police officer.

Mason Kenneth Manseau, 22, made his first appearance in St. Louis County Court on Thursday, then was released without bail. His next hearing is May 28.

According to the criminal complaint, a witness saw Manseau write "plunger" in two places outside downtown bar Dubh Linn Brew Pub in early April. A Duluth police officer tried to talk to him and Manseau initially ran off — but stopped and was arrested. Manseau had blue paint on his hands and blue markers in his bag, which matched the color used at Dubh Linn.

Manseau was released so law enforcement could conduct further investigation into the hundreds of other pieces of "plunger" graffiti around the city, according to the complaint. They had reportedly been getting calls about "plunger" defacements on both public and private property since February.

The word "plunger" was written six times in black or blue at the Technology Village parking ramp and surveillance video showed a man with "similar characteristics" as Manseau. Total damages: nearly $1,300. "Plunger" was written at the Duluth Transit Center, including on its tiled walls. Repairs cost nearly $57.

"Plunger" is written outside the Duluth Family Sauna, on a wall near Duluth Coffee Company, and on a wall in a vacant downtown lot.

Earlier this year, the police department asked residents to be on the lookout for the "plunger" artist — and said his work appeared between the Woodland neighborhood and downtown Duluth. The City of Duluth said it covered the word at least 30 times in recent history, costing upward of $550.

Manseau does not appear to have a criminal record in his adulthood.