Graffiti

What is Graffiti?

1. ·Graffiti is illegal and an antisocial activity that creates a negative impression of an area and contributes to people's fear of crime
2. ·Graffiti is the most common type of property vandalism
3. ·Graffiti is often the first element in a spiral of decline. If graffiti is not removed others will feel free to add to it
4. ·Its artistic merits are irrelevant. It represents one group of people imposing themselves on everyone else and as such is a form of pollution, like people playing loud music
5. ·Graffiti is also a green issue as it is an attack on the environment

The cost of cleaning up graffiti is enormous and is difficult to eradicate completely.

What can you do to help prevent graffiti?

There are a number of tools available to tackle the problem of graffiti. The Government has introduced a ban on the sale of spray paints to under 16's to tackle the source of the problem by taking away the means to graffiti.

·Planting shrubs and other vegetation to make vulnerable areas inaccessible

• Prompt removal
• ·Use materials (for example trellising) and surfaces that make graffiti vandalism difficult
• ·Education
• ·Apply a clear coat finish to protect painted and unpainted surfaces and use protective film coverings on windows
• ·Report graffiti for removal as soon as it is seen.  
• ·If you see anyone committing vandalism, report it to us at the, police, school authorities, or someone who can take action. Remember, vandalism is a crime
• ·Using pastel shades for communal areas rather than white, magnolia or traditional colours reduces graffiti attacks

Graffiti Prevention Tips for Businesses and Freeholders

Ongoing upkeep

·Make every effort to keep the appearance of a facility clean and neat. An outside appearance that suggests lack of care and neglect attracts vandals

• Littered car parks and drives, existing graffiti, broken fences, overgrown landscaping, and poor lighting all send a message to vandals that business owners are not attentive or do not care about the business
• ·Rapid and continual removal of graffiti is the best way for businesses and commercial property owners to protect the image of their street and preserve customers' sense of security. Studies show that removal within 24 to 48 hours results in a nearly zero rate of reoccurrence

Control access

·Include shrubs, robust plants, and vines to restrict vandals access

• Add or improve lighting around the building to promote natural surveillance
• ·Use fences, controlled entrances and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic
• ·Limit access to roofs by moving Euro bins away from walls and covering drain pipes to prevent vandals from scaling them

Step up security

·Install some type of security camera

• Organise a 'Business Watch' with nearby shopkeepers to keep tabs on a business area. Businesses may want to employ security personnel to monitor property
• ·Don't allow a 'legal wall' or an area that permits graffiti, at your business; they are largely ineffective and may draw more graffiti vandals to the area
• ·Employ graffiti resistant materials or coatings on a chronically hit wall  

What we will do

Offensive or racial material is high priority and we will attempt to remove it immediately.  

Graffitti on private land or property is the responsibility of the landowner/householder.

Graffiti on BT Telephone boxes should be reported direct to customer.serv.payphones@bt.com or call 0800 661610 (Mon to Fri, 9am -5pm).

Graffiti on BT Green Junction Boxes should be reported via http://www2.bt.com/contactus or call 0800 800 151 (24 hour service).  

The Safer Hart” partnership hold graffiti busting events throughout the year see the Graffiti Busting page for more details.

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