Police hunt vandals behind graffiti spree (From Daily Echo)
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Police hunt vandals behind Southampton graffiti spree
10:00am Sunday 21st October 2012 in News
By Sian Davies, Senior News Reporter
Black Heritage chairman Beverley Dowdell with one of the graffiti tags
VANDALS daubed graffiti on property, cars and public buildings, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
The trail of purple and red paint with trademark “tags” – used by the culprits to identify themselves – spread through St Mary’s in Southampton with almost a dozen reports of damage to property.
The night-time crime spree saw at least two cars, two vans, several homes and a community building targeted.
The same tags have since been spotted in the underpass that leads to St Mary Street and one that leads from New Road to Southampton Solent University.
The main roads affected include Hartington Road and St Albans Road, home to the Black Heritage cultural centre.
The tags include the name “Juls” or “Julz” with the letters “TFI” along with a symbol.
Black Heritage chairman Beverley Dowdell was sickened by the damage.
She explained the doors on which the tag had been sprayed had only recently been replaced.
She added: “We are an organisation that is run entirely on grants and donations. Something like this really makes me angry. These people need to understand how distressing and disheartening it is to all those people who work so hard to keep this centre going.”
Now police, who say they are not treating the crimes as a racist offence, are calling on the public’s help to find those responsible.
Police community support officer James Morgan said: “There are a number of people whose properties have been affected by this vandalism, and we would urge anyone who knows anything to help find those responsible.”
Anyone with any information about the spree in the early hours of Friday October 12 should contact the Newtown Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 101.
Comments(22)
AD1234
says...
10:45am Sun 21 Oct 12
Since our lefty-liberal society won't permit Southampton to sort out its problem in the way New York City did, our home will continue to be called 'Gotham City' by friends and family who live in more civilised parts of England.
southy
says...
11:15am Sun 21 Oct 12
AD1234 wrote:You mean Righty-Liberal
The Prime Minister is a populist, superficial waste of space. He has no intention of doing anything about so-called 'low-level' crime. Just like Blair, he is merely words, words, and more words.
Since our lefty-liberal society won't permit Southampton to sort out its problem in the way New York City did, our home will continue to be called 'Gotham City' by friends and family who live in more civilised parts of England.
OSPREYSAINT
says...
11:44am Sun 21 Oct 12
solents
says...
12:05pm Sun 21 Oct 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Put them in stocks and pillorys then don't throw a tomato at them - just spray them all over with some paint that will last weeks and take a lot of scrubbing to come off and see how they like it.
Once caught, these "artists" should be given a few weeks cleaning up other peoples mess as well as their own. Bring back the stocks and pass me a tomato I say.
Hdg end mo
says...
2:34pm Sun 21 Oct 12
mickey01
says...
3:33pm Sun 21 Oct 12
george h
says...
4:37pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Hdg end mo wrote:It's more likely that the armed cop will shoot a blind man minding his own business after mistaking his white stick for a scimitar sword.
As I've previously said arm our police lets see who comes of worse hoodie with a spray can or cop with an ak47
Or even a Brazilian high jumper.
bigal007
says...
7:11pm Sun 21 Oct 12
bobbyboy
says...
7:51pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Are police becoming totally useless and is is another step into the Private Police Force or PPF for short get an officer out there to ask the questions and it will not be long before someone ID's the Tags I hope the New Commissioners get the police back to the beat as soon as he/she is elected they did this in the Bronx NY and now is one of the top safest places to live i'm told with a ZERO tolerance on ANY Crime.
If the culprits are caught they or there parents should pay the Full costs of its removal and the shop keeper that sold the paint to minors if that is what they are as i belive there is an age limit on the sale of paint spray cans.
Let all of us become intollerence to crime its not snitching its looking after your areas and keeping them clean in all its form.
B.P. - M.R.A.
sass
says...
8:54pm Sun 21 Oct 12
solents wrote:They would wear it like a badge. Cane their a55es!
OSPREYSAINT wrote: Once caught, these "artists" should be given a few weeks cleaning up other peoples mess as well as their own. Bring back the stocks and pass me a tomato I say.Put them in stocks and pillorys then don't throw a tomato at them - just spray them all over with some paint that will last weeks and take a lot of scrubbing to come off and see how they like it.
Ted Rogers
says...
9:52pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Hdg end mo wrote:Have you deliberately left the Ron off of your name?
As I've previously said arm our police lets see who comes of worse hoodie with a spray can or cop with an ak47
HWinWindies
says...
10:15pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Come on Southampton,either Banksy is no more art than these tags, or these tags are no more vandalism than Banksy.
SotonGreen
says...
10:18pm Sun 21 Oct 12
The way to tackle graffiti is hard graft on behalf of communities and the police, tag databases so when new "art" is put up it can be checked against known "artists" together with active enagement providing these "yoof" something more positive to do with their time. It may not please the birch em brigade but it is far more likely to actually work which is surely the point ?
Carol zsako
says...
11:39pm Sun 21 Oct 12
com , we don't have an art problem. We have a vandalism problem.
Carol zsako
says...
11:43pm Sun 21 Oct 12
HWinWindies wrote:How is marking up cars art? It is vandalism. If I'm missing something, ping me at www.DefacingAmerica.
When the Graffiti vandal tagged as Banksy "ruined" the wall in St. Denys everyone said it was ok, but now its new "up and coming artists" they need to be stopped, or worse, publicly humiliated.
Come on Southampton,either Banksy is no more art than these tags, or these tags are no more vandalism than Banksy.
com
Carol zsako
says...
11:47pm Sun 21 Oct 12
SotonGreen wrote:"art!? " Don't you mean vandalism? Marking up a car has nothing to do with art. Creating an inventory of tags and markings to use in future prosecution is one thing, yet calling it art is way off the mark. If I'm missing something, ping me at www.DefacingAmerica.
No one calls Southampton "Gotham City" at least noone I know does.
The way to tackle graffiti is hard graft on behalf of communities and the police, tag databases so when new "art" is put up it can be checked against known "artists" together with active enagement providing these "yoof" something more positive to do with their time. It may not please the birch em brigade but it is far more likely to actually work which is surely the point ?
com
kingnotail
says...
12:27am Mon 22 Oct 12
HWinWindies
says...
7:19am Mon 22 Oct 12
Having lived for many years on the west side of the Atlantic I know to keep my ironic comments or sarcasm on the east side of the Atlantic, else they are taken as literal truths, and I have to explain.
Also, whilst I note that "Southampton" is a name used for places in the good old USofA, the original one, about which these posts are, is in the good old UK, and it is rare that policing styles crossover well.
My statement was purely to highlight the joy of many when the hooligan Banksy defaced St. Denys, compared to the righteous indignation against all or most other graffiti.
It is, in my opinion, ALL vandalism, you cannot pick and choose. Unless it is in a pre-designated area etc etc etc.
HWinWindies
says...
7:22am Mon 22 Oct 12
I despair at the third world conditions around your capital, where the ghettoisation of poor people is ignored by the law making rich. Deal with the plank in your eye before you highlight my splinter.
downfader
says...
9:49am Mon 22 Oct 12
AD1234 wrote:I agree the PM is a populist but he's not on the left. He's a Thatcherite - you can see this from his policies, from the fact 51% of the Tory funding comes from bankers, hedge fund companies and private corporations.
The Prime Minister is a populist, superficial waste of space. He has no intention of doing anything about so-called 'low-level' crime. Just like Blair, he is merely words, words, and more words.
Since our lefty-liberal society won't permit Southampton to sort out its problem in the way New York City did, our home will continue to be called 'Gotham City' by friends and family who live in more civilised parts of England.
downfader
says...
9:55am Mon 22 Oct 12
Hdg end mo wrote:Do you just spend your time writing rubbish?
As I've previously said arm our police lets see who comes of worse hoodie with a spray can or cop with an ak47
Arming the Police would be a logistical nightmare - training, training, training, paperwork, maintenance. An AK47 is also entirely impractical for an officer to carry - a side arm is what is the standard US issue.
Remember - a gun can be taken off someone and used against them.
arthur dalyrimple says...
10:15am Sun 21 Oct 12