A top official in Helsinki was busted spray-painting New York City-style graffiti in a rail tunnel last week.

Deputy Mayor Paavo Arhinmäki, 46, and a friend were nabbed by guards in eastern Helsinki just after they had finished tagging the tunnel with a large-scale mural meant to honor the artsy Pasila neighborhood.

Arhinmäki and his friend surrendered without incident and are potentially facing criminal charges.

The mural – which street art experts said looked partly inspired by works seen in New York during in the ’70s, – cost the city almost $4,000 to eradicate, officials told Finland‘s public broadcaster.

Arhinmäki, who was previously a member of the Finnish Parliament for 14 years representing the Left Alliance, a party which he used to lead, apologized for the incident in a detailed Facebook post Saturday.

“I have committed a crime and bear full responsibility for it,” he wrote, adding that “it was stupid to paint there,” when authorities had designated sites for legal graffiti.

“Guards appeared on the bridge, who shouted that it’s not worth trying to escape. What would we middle-aged parents even try to run to when the car was parked next to us,” he wrote, according to the social network’s translation of his Finnish missive.

“I’m so sorry for this stupid foolishness of mine.”

Arhinmäki has refused to step down from his deputy mayor position as well as from his post on the Helsinki City Council.

With Post wires