Vandal tagged

By Jim Mynard
A GRAFFITI vandal being interviewed by police inscribed his graffiti “tag” on a desk in the police station.
Police then searched the graffiti database for the tag and this led to the man being further charged with 30 counts of theft from motorcars and 30 counts of criminal damage.
The City of Casey and police have established a working party to get graffiti vandals out of the area and part of this work involved photographing graffiti tags.
Council staff have a large database that identifies offenders and assesses the cost of damage incurred by their vandalism.
The database holds thousands of images that police use to link graffiti artists to crime scenes.
Police have arrested and charged 10 people with hundreds of graffitirelated offences since November.
The working party includes members of the council’s community safety team, Victoria Police and the council’s graffiti removal contractor, Urban Maintenance Services.
The arrests relate to more than $120,000 worth of criminal damage in the municipality.
Claims will be made against vandals who are convicted for restitution to repay the cleaning costs.
Casey introduced its graffiti program in 2002 and since November last year the Casey Regional Response Unit has executed numerous search warrants as part of the operation.
The unit seized a large amount of evidence in the form of computers, digital cameras and mobile phones used for storing graffiti “tags”.
Many of those apprehended have also been charged with other offences such as theft of and from motorcars and drug offences.
One 18yearold Narre Warren man was charged with numerous offences, including criminal damage, possessing articles for criminal damage and trespass.
The charges relate to graffiti committed on trains, walls and factories in the City of Casey, with the cleanup bill already exceeding $23,000.
The arrest followed the execution of a search warrant at a Narre Warren home where spray cans, sketches of graffiti and photographs of graffiti were found.
He was bailed to appear in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in May.
In January an 18yearold woman was charged with more than 100 offences, in relation to $20,000 worth of graffiti at the Hampton Park shopping precinct.
Cranbourne CIU arrested and charged two Berwick teenagers late last year in relation to a fouryear graffiti spree.
The two, aged 16 and 18, have each been charged with more than 100 acts of criminal damage against trains and property throughout Casey, Cardinia Shire, Greater Dandenong and the metropolis.
The cleanup bill has already exceeded $50,000.
Police Inspector Bob Hill said similar policing initiatives would be implemented in the Shire of Cardinia.
“These acts of graffiti are criminal and are costing Casey ratepayers in excess of $140,000 a year,” Insp Hill said.
“The City of Casey is leading the way in managing graffiti and we will continue to work in partnership with the council to target this serious community issue.
“This behaviour will not be tolerated and we encourage residents to report all instances of graffiti to the council’s 24hour graffiti hotline, 1800 826 325 or ring 000 in cases where vandals are still at the scene.
“I also encourage parents to take an interest in the activities of their children and discourage them from engaging in this criminal activity,” he said.
Casey mayor Colin Butler said the council’s zero tolerance policy on graffiti was paying off.
“Over the last five years the Casey’s graffiti program has led the way in tackling this important social issue,” he said.
“We are committed to this program and these types of partnerships with the police and key stakeholders to deliver strong results.
“This recent joint operation required a high level of confidentiality to have the maximum chance of succeeding.
“As a result vandals are being apprehended and called to account, which is great news for our community and our street scapes,” he said.