Summertime Is Prime Time for Graffiti Vandalism

Any cop will tell you; when the temperature rises, so does crime. And one crime that tends to increase during the summer months is graffiti vandalism.

While spray paint is the most popular method of placing graffiti, graffiti vandals also use markers, etching tools, and acid. Some vandals are gang members, and fraffiti is often the first sign that gangs are operating in your neighborhood. Graffiti identifies territorial boundaries, lists their members, and warns rival gangs.

If gang graffiti is not quickly removed, the gang will take this as a sign that they can control the neighborhood.

Police officials say graffiti is a "gateway crime." Those involved in graffiti will over time become involved in other types of crime, including violent crime.

Last month Ventura County Sheriff Deputies arrested two juveniles for gang-related vandalism in Moorpark, California. The two juveniles, who are known gang members, were "tagging," or drawing gang graffiti throughout the Villa Campesina Park.

Gang graffiti is generally less ornate and colorful than the lone graffiti "Tagger." The Tagger is generally not involved with a gang and uses graffiti to gain notoriety. 

One admitted Tagger in Guilderland, New York, Andrew Alsante, 20, was recently arrested and charged with spray painting a local mall, a restaurant, an apartment complex, and a church. Alsante is facing felony charges of aggravated harassment and criminal mischief, as well as five counts of making graffiti.

Graffiti vandalism is such a problem in Los Angeles that earlier this year the city designed a program that will make it easier for LA officials to track graffiti vandals.

The Tracking and Automated Graffiti Removal System (TAGRS) allows graffiti cleaning crews to use smart phones to photograph graffiti and then uploads the images to a Los Angeles Police Department database.

"TAGRS is an innovative, citywide anti-graffiti program that gets at the root of the problem-the criminals who tag,'' said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa."Graffiti blights neighborhoods, devalues property and has no place in our communities.''

"This database will help our law enforcement and city partners team up to I.D., arrest and prosecute the worst taggers and tagging crews in the city,'' said Councilman Jose Huizar. "Graffiti is one of the biggest quality-of-life issues for our residents-it is a problem that demands action.''

So what can a business owner do to prevent graffiti vandalism this summer?

• Law enforcement officers and security professional say that you can protect your business by installing good lighting, cameras, and locking gates.

  
  

• Clean up vandalism as soon as it happens. Replace broken signs and windows and paint over graffiti. 

  
  

• Report broken street lights and public telephones and painted street signs and stop signs to the police.

  
  

• If you see someone spraying graffiti, call 911. Don't approach the vandal, as many of them are violent and carry weapons. Stopping a graffiti vandal is never worth jeopardizing your personal safety.

  
  

• Work with the police and fellow business people by setting up a Crime Watch and/or Neighborhood Watch in your area.