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Graffiti spree in housing estate
POLICE are investigating a graffiti spree that has caused thousands of pounds worth of damage on a Durham housing estate.
Youngsters with spray paint have been defacing signs and street furniture throughout Newton Hall and also at nearby Pity Me, The Arnison Retail Centre and Rosemount.
Property belonging to Durham City Council, the Royal Mail, power company NEDL, BT, Network Rail, Durham County Council as well as individuals have all been affected.
A group of teenagers, aged 13, from Newton Hall, was caught in the act by the police earlier this year and one of them was prosecuted. Others were spoken to in front of their parents.
But the problem has continued and police are appealing for help in catching the culprits and putting a stop to the tree.
They are also encouraging parents to be vigilant when buying things such as spray paints, markers pens, and to be aware of their possible misuse by youngsters.
Police community support officer Jean Fletcher said: "It has been going on for a while. Its affecting the whole of the estate. We are talking about nearly every lamppost, telephone box, street sign, dog bin.
"It is particularly bad in the privately owned garages in Chillingham Road.
"The cost of the damage is running into thousands of pounds. I wouldn't like to say what it has cost.''
Police and the city council, which is to launch a clean-up of its property, are working together to tackle the problem.
Ms Fletcher said: "Newton Hall is a low- crime area, but it is raising the fear of crime, particularly among the elderly."
Police are appealing for any information regarding the identities of the offenders.
If anyone has information about the culprits they are asked to call the Durham force non-emergency number, 0845-6060-365.
Belinda Snow, senior neighbourhood warden for Durham City Council, is appealing for information about the ownership of garages in Chillingham Road that have been severely defaced so it can contact the owners about getting the paint removed
Anyone who can help is asked to ring city Info on 0191-301-8669.
3:52pm Wednesday 27th February 2008
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CommentPosted by: buckets, durham on 5:43pm Sat 5 Apr 08
arresting people wont stop graffiti neither will cameras,neighbourhoo
d watch systems,police meetings or patrols graffiti will carry on unless young people are given a place to do it leagally maybe if a representative from the council talked to they people intrested in graffiti [bold]art[/bold]and gave them a place to do it they wouldnt be done in the streets illeagally im sure the council and the artists could come to an agreement.email me.
arresting people wont stop graffiti neither will cameras,neighbourhoo
d watch systems,police meetings or patrols graffiti will carry on unless young people are given a place to do it leagally maybe if a representative from the council talked to they people intrested in graffiti
artand gave them a place to do it they wouldnt be done in the streets illeagally im sure the council and the artists could come to an agreement.email me.
Posted by: jamie, newton tall on 12:36pm Sun 6 Apr 08
hello i am from newton hall, and i would really enjoy having a leagal graffti wall to paint on.
i think this would stop the ileagal graffiti in newton hall.
thankss
hello i am from newton hall, and i would really enjoy having a leagal graffti wall to paint on.
i think this would stop the ileagal graffiti in newton hall.
thankss
Posted by: ANNOYED PERSON!, County Durham on 12:42pm Sun 6 Apr 08
I don't think there would be such a big problem with graffiti if there was a place where people could do it legally, and at the end of the day, graffiti is an art, so why should people be punished for it? Graffiti isn't a crime, its a big part of some peoples lives, and it isn't fair for you to try and take that away from them. Some of my friends are graffiti artists, and beleive me, they will keep doing it illegally until you prived somewhere they can do it legally.
I don't think there would be such a big problem with graffiti if there was a place where people could do it legally, and at the end of the day, graffiti is an art, so why should people be punished for it? Graffiti isn't a crime, its a big part of some peoples lives, and it isn't fair for you to try and take that away from them. Some of my friends are graffiti artists, and beleive me, they will keep doing it illegally until you prived somewhere they can do it legally.
Posted by: Anon, near newton hall on 12:55pm Sun 6 Apr 08
i've seen the graffitti in newton hall and although there may be quite a lot, its still ART. A legal wall,place etc. would really bring down the level of graffiti being done
i've seen the graffitti in newton hall and although there may be quite a lot, its still ART. A legal wall,place etc. would really bring down the level of graffiti being done
Posted by: Anonymous, Durham on 12:59am Mon 14 Apr 08
Do me a favour whoevers reading this, read through the article again, but this time replace words such as 'crime' and 'damage' with the word [bold]ART[/bold]. I think you'll see the difference and maybe realise how big of a deal you are making of such a small thing. I think people who have a problem with graffiti, are just plain arrogant. They're just BLIND to the hard work and effort some people put into this graffiti [bold]art.[/bold]
Do me a favour whoevers reading this, read through the article again, but this time replace words such as 'crime' and 'damage' with the word
ART. I think you'll see the difference and maybe realise how big of a deal you are making of such a small thing. I think people who have a problem with graffiti, are just plain arrogant. They're just BLIND to the hard work and effort some people put into this graffiti
art. Posted by: rachel clough, newton hall on 11:49am Sat 26 Apr 08
Its **** mint hewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwww. Gives as a propa bus just lookin at it!
Its **** mint hewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwww. Gives as a propa bus just lookin at it!
Posted by: Anomonous, Newton Hall on 12:39am Thu 15 May 08
It wont stop no matter how hard people try. You clean one wall, it will appear again somewhere else. Although graffiti is a crime, you have to consider that there is nothing for teenagers around Newton Hall to do which is why they see it as a competition to graffiti around the place. There is no point in bragging about catching the people you caught as they were only about 10% of the people who do it around here.
It wont stop no matter how hard people try. You clean one wall, it will appear again somewhere else. Although graffiti is a crime, you have to consider that there is nothing for teenagers around Newton Hall to do which is why they see it as a competition to graffiti around the place. There is no point in bragging about catching the people you caught as they were only about 10% of the people who do it around here.
Posted by: Anomonous, Newton Hall on 12:48am Thu 15 May 08
Part of the buzz of graffiti is having the risk of getting caught. You need something else for the artists to do. There are other crimes around Newton Hall that are more serious than writings on a wall and if anyone is seriously affected it can easily be cleaned off.
CTV and surveillance around Newton Hall will not identify anybody who does the art. A simple face mask or something else can easily avoid the problem of being identified on camera. Therefore, this would be a waste of money.
Instead, use the money to improve facilities around Newton Hall, improve the skatepark, or allow a designated graffiti wall or something that would be of use.
Part of the buzz of graffiti is having the risk of getting caught. You need something else for the artists to do. There are other crimes around Newton Hall that are more serious than writings on a wall and if anyone is seriously affected it can easily be cleaned off.
CTV and surveillance around Newton Hall will not identify anybody who does the art. A simple face mask or something else can easily avoid the problem of being identified on camera. Therefore, this would be a waste of money.
Instead, use the money to improve facilities around Newton Hall, improve the skatepark, or allow a designated graffiti wall or something that would be of use.
Posted by: Bob, Newton Hall on 12:54am Thu 15 May 08
Perhaps the problem with graffiti around Newton Hall is that it's crap. I know it's illegal, but when you look at places like New York, some of the graffiti looks good. Newton Hall is basically just a scrapbook for graffiti and has no 'proper' pieces around.
If you have a designated spot for graffiti then you wont receive any complaints. I bet most of the complaints will be because of messy graffiti, plain, boring, simple. I doubt that person would complain if there was a masterpiece sprayed on his garage.
Understand where I'm coming from.
Perhaps the problem with graffiti around Newton Hall is that it's crap. I know it's illegal, but when you look at places like New York, some of the graffiti looks good. Newton Hall is basically just a scrapbook for graffiti and has no 'proper' pieces around.
If you have a designated spot for graffiti then you wont receive any complaints. I bet most of the complaints will be because of messy graffiti, plain, boring, simple. I doubt that person would complain if there was a masterpiece sprayed on his garage.
Understand where I'm coming from.
Posted by: Mark, Newton Hall on 1:01am Thu 15 May 08
I am an owner of a garage in Chillingham Road. It is pointless trying to clean the graffiti off as a week later it will be covered again. Boys will be boys, I used to be like that.
Lets face it, would you rather have kids around Newton Hall stabbing each other with knives, or would you rather them drawing on a wall. Graffiti is not a serious crime, it does not cost thousands of pounds of damage.
I am an owner of a garage in Chillingham Road. It is pointless trying to clean the graffiti off as a week later it will be covered again. Boys will be boys, I used to be like that.
Lets face it, would you rather have kids around Newton Hall stabbing each other with knives, or would you rather them drawing on a wall. Graffiti is not a serious crime, it does not cost thousands of pounds of damage.
Posted by: lewis hobson, durham on 4:38pm Sat 24 May 08
i was the 13 year old prosicuted,i made a mistake writing childish tags and not creating art for others to appreciate only other graffiti writers will appreciate tags. they do look messy and every time i walk past the garages at chillingham i just want to paint over them, there a disgrace i know what mark is on about it will be bombed with tags in under a week but if the police came to some agreement with the artists such as no tags allowed or alocate one garage for tags and the rest for real peices,real art not sloppy signatures of people.after being arrested i proggressed alot in my style im sure if the people who ownt he garages saw the art that could be on them as apose to tags they would jump at the chance to make them legal.
i was the 13 year old prosicuted,i made a mistake writing childish tags and not creating art for others to appreciate only other graffiti writers will appreciate tags. they do look messy and every time i walk past the garages at chillingham i just want to paint over them, there a disgrace i know what mark is on about it will be bombed with tags in under a week but if the police came to some agreement with the artists such as no tags allowed or alocate one garage for tags and the rest for real peices,real art not sloppy signatures of people.after being arrested i proggressed alot in my style im sure if the people who ownt he garages saw the art that could be on them as apose to tags they would jump at the chance to make them legal.
Posted by: fr, d on 1:29pm Wed 28 May 08
hahaha were was the clean up? stuff got cleened but none of the tags did the actual peices got cleaned
hahaha were was the clean up? stuff got cleened but none of the tags did the actual peices got cleaned
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