Tagging & Graffiti just beginning?

Hey folks-
Just wanted to tell you about an observation I've had over the past few days in the SW area (specifically the Village Drive corridor):

I first started noticing small stickers being placed on the dog-bag stations. These stickers seem to be of cartoon characters but upon closer inspection it is clear to see they are have a bit more 'attitude' to them and wouldn't be out of place on a graffiti wall or even on a skateboard, snow board, band t-shirt etc.

I then noticed similar stickers and writing on one of the green metal trash bins along the trail behind McDonalds.

This morning I saw the same style sticker on one of the new street lights at the corner of Haliburton and Village and I even found and removed a piece of paper that was actually attached to a tree branch along the path behind the McDonalds, this piece of paper actually had the letters "SN" scribbled on it, drawn to resemble graffiti letters. It was placed on a branch as though the tree had been 'tagged'.

Wasn't sure if any of you had noticed similar small vandalizing going on around the other areas. I just wanted to make people aware and hopefully this wont be the beginning of a larger problem.

take care,
C

 

Not trying to derail topic but does anyone know if there are any plans to add lighting of any kind to that pathway behind Glory Days (between the shopping center and the townhouses)? It is a good short cut walking path but seems to occasionally be a hang out for kids and is very dark back there. Thanks.

 

Thanks, A4Guy. Will be on the lookout. Are you aware of the "broken windows theory" made popular in The Tippping Point? It's critical to catch this at the beginning and remove it quickly.

 

None that I know of.

 

one of the most influential books I have ever read. if it is graffiti or gang tagging it needs to be removed ASAP and the area should be monitored for someone trying to put it back, and they should be made examples of.

 

In my consulting business, we teach retail shop owners this principle all the time. We have actually done our own studies on this, and it's true.

Leave some trash in the bathroom or don't pick up little pieces of trash around the building, and it tends to attract more trash.

 

Lights could impact or disturb night wildlife... I find a powerful flashlight is useful on that pathway.

 

I live on this "corridor" and walk around the area and trails just about daily. If I see any tags I'll start removing them and keeping an eye out for offenders.

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

Hi all,
who manages the Broadlands Marketplace by Southern Walk, or is there a Business Owner's Association that could be made aware of the new graffiti problem? There are stickers all over the "No Parking" signs in front of the stores by Harris Teeter, and spraypaint graffiti on at least one next to the future Starbucks. Yes, spraypaint.

Who can we get to take care of this so the kids don't get it in their head that such defacement and graffiti will be tolerated, and eventually start spreading into the neighborhoods right nearby?

 

"SN" appears to be what's spraypainted on the "no parking" sign next to Starbucks.

I have a picture if anyone wants or needs to see it.

 

Ty Hausch of Van Metre is responsible for the SW Shopping Center. He's posted his contract info on other threads. I believe he is also a Broadlands resident.
The Commercial Property Association point of contact is Denise Harrover, also with Van Metre. You can find her contact info in the Newsletter. She is on both the Broadlands and SW HOA Boards.

 

Cliff is correct - I am in charge of leasing and management of the Harris Teeter center and a Broadlands resident. We are aware of the graffiti on the back of the retaining wall from last weekend. There were a ton of postal stickers plastered to the wall and spray painted graffiti - a lot of "French Vanilla" and "Obey". A few names which we cross-referenced with the HOA and will report to the police. The only area that I've noticed so far is behind Taco Bell, but I will check out the signs as well. We will paint over the graffiti whenever it occurs, but that won't happen until we get warmer weather since paint won't stick unless temperatures are over 50 degrees.

We have also contracted with the HOA's security firm to have an extra guard at the shopping center on weekends, and they will specifically target the area behind the wall. There are no plans to have additional lights installed in that area, one because getting electric there would be very expensive and two, it is a protected flood plain and wetland area and putting permits to add utilities back there would be very difficult if not impossible.

My understanding from Denise Harrover is that the shopping center was not the only area that was targeted. There were spots hit throughout Broadlands. It's virtually impossible to stop without homeowner involvement and reporting. If anyone has any leads or ideas, I can be reached at thausch@vanmetrecompanies.com.

Thanks,
Ty

 

what a shame...

 

Thank you for the reply. Since I live in the part of SW just across the creek from McDonalds I'm happy to help however I can. I will start going to neighborhood watch meetings. (By the by, can anyone lend me a few extra hours per week?)

Other areas "hit" were the storefronts in the block of stores including Harris Teeter (postal stickers) and the "SN" initials spraypainted on the sign on the side of the future Starbucks. I amf having issues getting the picture of my phone but soon as I can I will send it -- though anyone can just drive by and see it.

If we witness the kids in the act, shall we also call the Loudoun County Sheriff's office? Take pictures or video with our cellphones? Likely by the time police arrive the kids could have moved along....

Thanks!

 

Our friends the taggers apparently are big fans of the forums, since they have begun responding to postings on the back of the retaining wall behind Harris Teeter; e.g. "SR not SN", "Forums are for f***", etc.

No need to take pictures. We take pictures of the new graffiti each day, report it to the police and paint over it. They must think that this is a major annoyance to us, but all it does is bring down home values in the neighborhood, so their parents can't refinance and thus can't afford all the nice little computer games that would keep them indoors.

We know who these very young gentlemen are that are doing it, their addresses, dates of birth, and what they had for breakfast, and they will be caught in the act very soon and their whiney little bottoms will be spanked in front of a judge. Apparently they aren't good enough athletes to play a sport, or good enough musicians to play an instrument, or good enough at anything to keep themselves busy, so they must resort to defacing our community to make themselves feel important. But all they are doing is making themselves look more idiotic than they already are. What a shame.

 

I don't condone or support the use of the word as an insult but... since they do... and since they're reading the forums... then I guess they just insulted themselves? Heh....

Awesome, thank you (and all the people involved in tracking this) for your vigilance.

 

This is pretty crazy.

I'm also not happy with hour our HOA is cleaning up the 'smaller' vandalizing either. I still see USPS stickers on the sidewalks, stickers on the dog-stations and graffiti on trash cans.

Do you really know who is doing this and will they be caught?

 

Well I can't find the Edit Post... so I will just say:

I spoke with HOA and they are going to go look at the remaining areas that have stickers left on them, they didn't see them initially.

So THANK YOU to them!

 

In case you haven't seen it... more graffiti in our surrounding area:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/09/AR2008020901327.html?sub=AR


-C

 

Technosapien you fail

http://www.despair.com/fail24x30pri.html