Mar 14, 2008 10:17 am US/Eastern
Boston Police Fight Uphill Battle Against Taggers
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Ask anyone who owns a building that's been targeted by a tagger, and they'll tell you what a pain it is to get it cleaned up.
WBZ
For years, vandals have been leaving their mark on cities and towns across our state. Even if busted, they're not likely to see any jail time. We're talking about taggers -- the people who cover public and private property with graffiti.
Ask anyone who owns a building that's been targeted by a tagger, and they'll tell you what a pain it is to get it cleaned up. What's worse is with cities and towns strapped for cash across our state, you'll be amazed at how much it costs to get rid of graffiti.
To a tagger, the entire city is their canvas. Building owner Sam Perry has had it. He's spent time, money and even took a tagger he caught to court. "I've spent somewhere between $70,000 and $100,000 in the past 15 years trying to maintain graffiti and repair bricks from all the cleaning."
Undercover Boston Police Detective Billy Kelly's job is to identify and arrest taggers. "He could get that (tag) done in under two minutes."
Kelly just helped arrest one of the most prolific taggers, Spek. He hit bridges, trains and buses -- and he's no kid. Police say Spek is 28-year-old Adam Brandt of Salem. "We've been tracking him since the late 90s."
Consider the costs with cleaning up graffiti. Last year, the city of Boston spent $300,000. In addition to that, $160,000 was spent to clean up commuter trains and $60,000 was shelled out on subways. In all, that's more than a half-million dollars -- and that doesn't include property owners or other cities and towns.
There is really is no place they won't tag and the problem becomes this: the owners of these buildings -- they'll spend a lot of time and money getting the tags off the walls and no sooner are the walls clean then the tags are back.
"What's the alternative to just let these people take over our communities that's just not a viable alternative," said Ann Swanson, of the neighborhood association of the Back Bay.
The association is fed up. They've caught and helped prosecute a dozen taggers, and also help with clean up, but they're painfully aware it's not going to stop.
And here's the proof of that. In the middle of the interview with Det. Kelly, right across the street, two men were arrested for tagging a nearby roof.
Police found a spray can in their pack, spray nozzles and Det. Kelly found fresh paint. They were handcuffed and hauled away.
"If you put a little bit of a dent in it and keep it sort of under control, then it's a win," said Lt. Nancy O'Loughlin of the transit police.
In one case, a tagger was busted and ordered to pay $10,000 to a homeowners association in an area he targeted.
Police would like to see judges send a couple of the worst offenders to some jail time to send a message to the rest of them.
State lawmakers are also taking on taggers. There's a bill on Beacon Hill that would ban the sale of spray paint to anyone under the age of 17.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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