Graffiti Taggers Beware. The Fredericksburg Police Department is fed up with the significant increase in graffiti tagging in the community and has issues a $500 Reward for tips that lead to the arrest of a graffiti tagger. In 2014, there were 16 graffiti tags reported. In 2015, there have already been 55 reported cases of graffiti.
The reward give the taggers pause before they go out tagging in the future, but the recent arrest of a local graffiti tagger will have much more impact to deter them from creating more graffiti. This multi-pronged response to eliminate and reduce graffiti is a best practice and should lead to a reduction in the frequency of graffiti tagging.
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Tucson, Arizona - Mario Figueroa is a man on a mission. This 62-year old spends his time cleaning up graffiti from his Tucson neighborhood. The City of Tucson spends approximately $750,000 abating graffiti.
Tucson Officer Stephanie Brown estimates that most of the taggers are 14 or 15 years old. Spray paint is readily available depite a Tucson city ordinance which prohibits spray paint to minors, According to Tucson City Spokesman Michael Graham says, "When you're spending three-quarters of a million dollars to eradicate graffiti, I'd say we have a pretty big problem out there." "That's money that, from the general fund, that could have been used to improve city parks, or other city infrastructure. instead, that's going for graffiti abatement." More at News 4 Tucson Buffalo, New York - A prolific tagger has been sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service and thousands of dollars for hundreds of graffiti tags.
“You had the audacity to deface and paint and dirty up our city,” Judge DiTullio told him. “Now, you will clean up your mess and your graffiti under the watchful eye of city officials, the Probation Department and this court. I would guess, Mr. Whitefield, that leaning up your mess will be a lot harder than creating it. It’s a lot harder to take off paint than slap it on.” More at The Buffalo News Toledo, Ohio - The owner of a 50 year old flag business, located in an historic fire station, wants justice. She wants the teenager arrested for tagging her building and six others buildings in the commercial corridor, to pay retribution by scrubbing the spray painted graffiti off the 86 year old historicbrick facade.
Wendy Beallas, the owner of Flags Sales and Repairs, said if convicted, “I want him to be responsible and accountable for himself and clean it up,” she said. “This was very destructive. I want him to clean it, not just my building, but all the buildings.” “I am very disappointed,” she said, “It is just unbelievable and senseless to me.” More detail at the Toledo Blade PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island – Legislation in the Rhode Island State Senate proposes to make graffiti a felony.
According to bill’s sponsor, Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, “Graffiti is a serious crime that causes damage to property and costs owners hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair. Often it can’t really be fully repaired at all. But worse, it makes neighborhoods look run-down and uncared for, sending a message to others that it won’t matter if they decide to add more graffiti, litter or blight to the area. Graffiti has a significant indirect effect on the quality of life in addition to the direct physical damage it causes, so it really should be handled seriously.” The legislation would make graffiti a felony where there was more than $1,000 of damage. Repeat offenders would be potentially subject to $1,000 fine, 200 hours of community service, and up to a year in jail. The legislation would allow the court to order convicted graffiti tagger to pay for the full cost of the damage. The guardians of convicted minors could be held responsible for up to $1,000 of restitution for damages. “Graffiti shouldn’t be treated lightly. It’s a genuine crime with real victims and high costs. It robs neighborhoods of their quality of life, and those who commit that vandalism should be held responsible for their actions,” said Senator Goodwin. More at WPRI.com. Kristian Holmes, age 32, was found guilty by a London jury on 38 counts of criminal damage. Total damage caused by his graffiti between 2003 and 2010 was estimated at £250,000. He frequently targeted trains and train stations.
More detail at Bexley Times. Due to budgetary considerations, the Pittsburgh Police Department's specialized, three detective, anti-graffiti squad will be shutting down.
There has been widespread disappointment and concern from city leaders and concerned citizens. Established in 2006, the squad had some high-profile arrests, including members of Pittsburgh's Most Wanted Graffiti Vandals, Ian de Beer and Daniel J. Montano. In 2008, Montano was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $232,582. In 010 de Beer was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $45,000. The graffiti squad made 10 arrests and collected $11,899 in restitution in 2011, according to the Police Department's annual reporting. More detail here. |
AuthorFrom Clean City Innovation Graffiti Watch Archives
August 2015
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