It shall be unlawful and a violation of this section for any person willfully to deface, tamper with, damage, open or break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter installed under this subchapter, and the unauthorized removal of any parking meter or of money therefrom shall also constitute a violation of this section. In addition, any person who shall willfully or negligently and without authority of law, deface, tamper with, damage, open or break, impair the usefulness of or remove any parking meter installed under this subchapter shall be liable to the city or to the owner of the meter for the actual damage done, for which the city shall have a right of action in its name for its own benefit or for the benefit of the owner of the meters.
(1991 Code, § 19-27) Penalty, see § 71.99