Asheville sculpture vandalized

4 Comments

1. 

   Melissa January 5, 2009

   FYI, from Dec. 10:

   APD makes multiple graffiti vandalism arrests

   ASHEVILLE – Asheville police arrested two people over the past weekend for multiple, separate incidents of graffiti related vandalism.

   One person was charged with spray-painting graffiti under the Smoky Park Bridge, and five additional subjects were subsequently charged with second-degree trespass and having open containers of alcohol in that incident.

   These arrests are the latest in a series of APD graffiti arrests in 2008. Since Jan. 1, APD has logged 307 cases of graffiti vandalism in the city. This number is believed to represent less than half of all actual graffiti incidents, since many victims don’t report the damage to their property.

   APD officers have conducted more than 50 surveillance operations and logged more than 500 hours of investigative time into arresting individual graffiti vandals/taggers in an effort to combat property damage that costs the city and individual property owners hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
   “APD Patrol Officers, Community Resource Officers, and Investigators have done a tremendous job trying to reduce the amount of graffiti vandalism that occurs in the city,” said Tim Splain, captain of the Criminal Investigations Division. “Despite their efforts, the public perception is that graffiti crime is increasing because this type of vandalism is so visible. We, as a community, need to continue to enforce existing laws, look toward restricting the availability of paints and markers used for graffiti vandalism, and work together toward a comprehensive graffiti removal program.”

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2. 

   Melissa January 5, 2009

   The police can’t be everywhere and protect every building and piece of art in the city. Even with all the recent graffiti vandalism arrests by APD, people criticized the department for "wasting" its time. And officers certainly can’t be expected to go around cleaning it all up…that’s unrealistic.

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3. 

   Jenny Graves January 5, 2009

   Graffiti is vandalism pure and simple. It’s not just an insult to "art", it is an insult to the community and takes away from the quality of life.

   The City of Asheville Police Dept. needs to take steps to enforce this or else our city will get more and more of it. Unfortunately, graffiti is on the rise around the world and our little mountain town is not immune.

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4. 

   Melissa January 5, 2009

   I hope the people who think graffiti vandalism is not a big deal will reconsider that position when they see something like this. It’s no different than marking up someone’s home, car or business. It’s just plain cruel and wrong. Vandalism is not art. It’s an insult to art.

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