(SOUTH BRUCE, ON) – The South Bruce OPP has been receiving reports of graffiti across the detachment area. Acts of graffiti can occur anywhere and the resulting clean up can become a significant burden on a municipal budget.
Graffiti is any writing, symbols or drawing applied to any surface without the property owner’s consent. Most acts of graffiti make reference to hip-hop culture, but graffiti is also used by gangs and other extremists.
Graffiti negatively impacts a community’s beautification. The removal or repair costs can be expensive, but it must be removed. Graffiti left unchallenged suggests a community that is apathetic about its appearance and most often leads to more graffiti being applied.
When a person applies graffiti, they are committing a criminal code offence called Mischief, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail.
Anyone with information on these acts of vandalism is asked to call the South Bruce OPP or Crime Stoppers.