Calls for Hastings Residents to Report Graffiti
The long and balmy Hawke’s Bay summer evenings are perfect conditions for holidaymakers, barbecuing locals and unfortunately… taggers.
Hastings has been hit hard by tagging over recent months and Hastings District Council is asking the public for help to catch culprits and reports incidents to its 24hour Graffiti Hotline – 0800 664 723.
When members of the public report graffiti, in partnership with Keep Hastings Beautiful Trust, HDC provides a clean-up service for public areas, schools, businesses, homes.
Environmental Enhancement officer, Jacqui Barnes says this is traditionally a busy time of year for tagging, with school holidays and warm dry weather, but this year has been the worst in a while.
“Reports are that there has been a marked increase in the number of out-of-town related tags. We’ve also got a number of tags that we only see during school holidays, so it’s someone who returns home from school or visits when school is out.”
“Recent incidents have shown some taggers to be more brazen, going up driveways or onto properties to tag houses or doing large graffiti in very public areas.
“There are no particular areas – it’s everywhere, even in areas that are not traditionally a problem.
However, Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule says vigilance from both the public and police has proved successful with five arrests in Mayfair, Parkvale and Havelock North in recent weeks.
“This scourge of graffiti can be combated by the vast majority of Hastings residents who are proud to live in this city.
“We want to hear from residents if they suspect someone is tagging - call the police immediately. Taggers have been caught recently because residents did exactly that and police could track them with dogs and arrest them.”
A photographic register of tags operated by HDC has aided police in connecting arrested taggers with incidents across the city. Reports of tagging, whether offenders are identified immediately or not, help council add to that register which then helps police target their patrols.
Council is also asking retailers to do what they can to fight graffiti by following national requirements for spray cans to be secured and not to sell to people under 18-years old.
HDC provides free Clean-up Kits to neighbourhoods or businesses regularly hit, so they can remove graffiti quickly.
For more information
Erin Harford
Communications Manager
(06) 871 5056
027 275 5205
