Groton — A Groton man was arrested Monday for damaging his landlord's property after the man received an eviction notice and painted the kitchen — including the light fixtures and the ceiling — black.

Arthur Carron, 54, of 28 Washington St. was charged with first-degree criminal mischief in connection with the incident, which occurred sometime between March 1 and April 10, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Police responded to a complaint from the landlord on April 12 that Carron had damaged the property, the affidavit said.

Carron signed a lease to move into the rental property on High Street, and paid one month's rent and $500 toward the security deposit, the affidavit said.

He stopped paying rent on Feb. 1, saying he could no longer afford it, and the landlord gave Carron paperwork to start the eviction process on Feb. 11, the affidavit said.

The landlord was at the property on March 1 and the kitchen was not painted black at that time, the affidavit said.

On April 10, Carron moved out of the property as the eviction required, and the following day, the landlord went inside to check the property.

"(The landlord) found that almost all the walls in the kitchen except one had been painted black. Also the ceiling was painted black," the affidavit said. "(The landlord) stated the light switches and electrical outlets were painted over, ruining them."

A contractor estimated it would cost $4,000 to $6,000 to repaint the kitchen, the affidavit said.

Carron told police he "just wanted to clean the kitchen up and started painting but never finished," the affidavit said. "He would not say why he picked black, he just picked it."