Calgary police crack down on graffiti

Calgary police say their seizure Wednesday of drawings, posters and electronics from the home of a man they say is a prolific tagger underscores the growing problem of graffiti in the city.

"They practice what they are going to do, and then they go out into the public and start vandalizing people's property, so it's those samples we are looking for," Calgary police Const. David Ladic of the graffiti vandalism unit told CBC News.

A search warrant was executed on the man's southwest home.

Police are hoping to charge him with vandalism.

Raids like the one carried out Wednesday are becoming more common in Calgary, as police crack down on graffiti.

'They are fostering each other's vandalism, documenting it.' — Const. David Ladic, Calgary police graffiti vandalism unit

"The more tags they do — it's called 'getting up' — the more they are recognized within that subculture, and then it just feeds into that ego that they are popular," said Ladic.

Last year, there were more than 7,800 graffiti complaints made in Calgary, compared to more than 5,500 the year before.

"There is a very organized group," Ladic said. "They have social websites, they talk on the internet. They put up pictures … they are fostering each other's vandalism, documenting it."

Graffiti is not only a crime, but it can also be a big expense. The city has set aside $400,000 to remove graffiti this year.

One graffiti cleanup company, Graffiti Gone, said it removes about 45 tags a week. The company says it has to act fast when it's alerted to a job.

"Problem is that with graffiti, it starts off small, and if it's not removed right away, more and more is added," said Dario Lazic of Graffiti Gone. "Colour is put on, more tags are added … it turns into a complete wall, sooner or later."

Artist advocates graffiti zone

One Calgary graffiti artist says the city is wasting taxpayers' money on the cleanup.

It should instead create a designated graffiti area, said David Brunning.

"They have airsoft gun-shooting places for people who want to practice playing war, which is crazy, but they don't give us any walls. They don't let us paint what we want," said Brunning.

Last year, the city council toyed with the idea of giving graffiti artists a legal spray-painting zone at Shaw Millennium Park, but that idea was voted down.

Earlier this year, the city launched a plan to put surveillance cameras in graffiti hotspots. City officials said some have been installed and are working but wouldn't provide further details.

The typical punishment for a graffiti vandalism conviction is a $5,000 fine, but jail time is also a possibility.