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Police in West Roxbury vow to bust roving taggers

By adamg on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 10:04am

District E-5 reports they've recovered a can of blue spray paint and are "vigilantly pursuing possible suspects" for five graffiti incidents on April 15 and 16 that police estimate will cost hundreds of dollars to repair.

According to police: A fence at LaGrange and Redgate had obscenities sprayed on it, a car on Emmmonsdale and Linnet had a stripe added, a mini-van on Redgate had a penis spray-painted on the rear window and a garage on John Alden had both a penis and "WR" applied.

Graffiti is an act of vandalism that affects the quality of life in our neighborhood. It is unwelcoming and certainly unwanted in District 5. The perpetrators are usually teenagers who often tag as a prank or to show membership to a group or gang. In the cases reported last Saturday, it is more likely that the suspects were playing a prank.

Neighborhoods: 
West Roxbury
Topics: 
Crime
Free tagging: 
graffiti


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Comments

By Kathode on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 10:34am.

Fruits and Vegetables Gang again?

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By anon on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 11:35am.

Question - where does one go to report graffiti in one's neighborhood? Someone has been writing "Love" everywhere on my street and it's really bothering me, especially since a pole in front of my house now reads "Use a Love GLove." Innovative take on the original, but no thanks.

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By adamg on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:57pm.

617-635-4500 or http://www.cityofboston.gov/propertymanagement/gra...

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By Justin Holmes on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 1:54pm.

Thanks Adam! Yes- three ways to easily report graffiti for removal in Boston:

1. Call us 24/7 at 617-635-4500

2. Report online here: http://mayors24.boston.gov/Ef3/General.jsp?form=SS...

3. If you've got an Android or iPhone, download the app "Boston Citizens Connect," snap a photo and make a report.

If it's on public property, our Graffiti Busters crews will get it removed or quickly send it to the right agency. If it's on private property, we'll work with the private owner. We usually get these taken care of within 45 days (most sooner).

Please send in your reports -- it helps makes our city cleaner!

Justin Holmes
Director of Constituent Engagement
Office of Mayor Thomas M. Menino

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By Allstonian on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:21pm.

I wish this were true! I frequently report graffiti in my neighborhood in Allston, and more often than not, it takes one to two months for tags to be removed, except for the occasional obscene or racist graffiti, which do receive prompt treatment.

Even more frustrating, about 20% of the time reports that I've made have been CLOSED without having actually been resolved, and I've had to report them again.

Recently the neighborhood was plastered with Neighborhood Watch signs, along with signs announcing "No Graffiti Tagging" and "No Posting Placards or Bills." However, no effort was made to remove any of the plentiful tags and stickers, many on other signs on the very same poles where the new signs were posted. It is very obvious that the city has no interest in making Allston cleaner.

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By AP02132 on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:59pm.

It sounds like most of the time graffiti is removed even if you have to wait 1 to 2 months (or immediately if deemed offensive enough). I think that is pretty reasonable considering the amount of graffiti in the city. I think that sounds like a job well done and not something to complain about. Sheesh, I hate complainers.

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By Justin Holmes on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 9:51am.

Sorry I just caught your comment now Allstonian.

You're right, sometimes it takes us a bit longer on some special cases for graffiti removal. Our "service level agreement" for reports of graffiti removal is 45 days and we resolve 99% of them within that timeframe (you can read our performance report here by PDF: http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/March...)

I'm concerned about your report that: "about 20% of the time reports that I've made have been CLOSED without having actually been resolved, and I've had to report them again." Can you give me any specific examples? Sometimes, graffiti is outside of our jurisdiction (MBTA property or a DCR park for example). We notify these agencies that there's graffiti on their property and we close the case since there's no further action the city can take. This might be what you've experienced, but without knowing the detail, I can't be sure.

Thanks.

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By Allstonian on Thu, 04/28/2011 - 12:26pm.

Here's one example.

8/4/2010: I reported offensive graffiti painted on the sidewalk - case #101000165145.

8/13/2010 (nine days later): I received the following email message:

The Public Works Department has reported to us this case was resolved on 8/13/2010 5:54 AM, noting:

Case Resolved

I had to re-report the case and the graffiti was actually removed on 8/15/2010.

So - not so bad, some would argue - it only took eleven days and reopening a closed case to get obscene graffiti removed from a public sidewalk.

Then there's case #101000075337, which I reported on 8/25/09, reopened on 9/1/09 after it was falsely reported as closed, and which was finally resolved on 3/18/10 - not quite SEVEN MONTHS after the initial report.

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By M on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 5:31pm.

especially since a pole in front of my house now reads "Use a Love GLove."

Anon, I had to self-Heimlich when I started to laugh while eating my dinner and reading this. Thank you for almost killing me.

(seriously, no sarcasm - for some reason I found this hilarious. I really am sorry about your graffiti, it's just that your expression whacked my funnybone dead-on)

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