SUMMERSIDE – With charges laid against a local tagger, Summerside Police Services are still looking for public input when they witness graffiti around the city.
In mid-May, Summerside police found a 27-year-old man in the process of tagging a building on Water Street.
Summerside police Chief David Poirier, would not specify which tag was being drawn on the building.
“The file is still under investigation and the gentleman will have a court date in the future. But my understanding is he was caught somewhere behind the old Regent and was caught red-handed,” he said.
“I’d say the acts of graffiti tagging has gone up somewhere from 10 to 20 per cent in comparison to last year around this time,” said Poirier.
This year cleaning up the graffiti has been unmanageable. But Poirier encourages the public to take a photo if they see a tag and then remove it, if it’s on their property.
“Some may want to paint a mural over the tag. Studies suggest that vandals won’t interfere or tag over murals. But we’re also telling the public to leave their businesses and homes lit up. These culprits seem to thrive in the dark.”
Graffiti costs the city and property owners thousands of dollars each year.
While some taggers seem to have retired their signature, there are a few returning, including the prevalent “Bucko” tag.
“We had one on the go for a couple of years that seems to have aged out. This year we have several taggers, but one seems to be more prevalent.”
Poirier would not specify which tag this was.
He stressed that the artists out there who are interested in graffiti should use the free boards located around the city.
“If you don’t have permission to do it on someone’s property and it’s not on one of the boards, it’s a criminal offense.”
Graffiti season is on
This week the City of Summerside issued a reminder of the importance of reporting persons vandalizing properties. Graffiti falls under mischief in the Criminal Code of Canada and penalties can range from fines to jail time.
Here’s what to do:
– Call Crimestoppers 1-800-222-TIPS toll-free or Summerside Police Services 902-432-1201 to report this crime.
– If you see graffiti in progress, report it – don’t try to intervene.
– Report graffiti as soon as it happens.
– Contact the property owner whose building has been vandalized. Stress the importance of quick cleanup. Take a photo of the graffiti as it may lead to identification of the vandal.
– Removing graffiti promptly (within the first 24 hours if possible) is the best way to prevent it. – Prompt, persistent removal usually results in a nearly zero rate of recurrence.
– Before any removal begins, find out whether police want to photograph it as evidence first.
– Paint a mural over the graffiti if the site is suitable.
