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Twelve cases of graffiti cleared thanks to neighbor

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 - 11:04:50 am CDT

An alert neighbor who heard the rattle and hiss of a spray can Monday night helped Lincoln police solve a rash of graffiti vandalisms south of downtown.

 “The neighbor deserves a pat on the back,” said Capt. Joseph Wright.

Twelve cases of graffiti have been cleared so far and there may be more.

Police cited three boys, ages 12 to 13, for vandalism.

Wright said the neighbor, who lives near 16th and B streets, called police after he saw some boys run by and heard the spray paint can. 

Officers arrived around 9 p.m. but the youths were gone. However, Officer Megan Schreiner recalled nabbing a boy for spray painting a garage in the area the prior week. Police went to the home of the youth and contacted the parents.

Wright said garages were sprayed in a three to four-block area near 16th and B streets. And the area had been hit before.


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Eric wrote on July 8, 2008 8:43 am:
" Hold the parents accountable since they obviously dont have a clue as to what their kids are doing. "

Butch wrote on July 8, 2008 8:52 am:
" I had the lucky chance of being hit twice, by 2 different "artists". In the first case they busted the guy, knew who he was, found him with spray paint on his hands. He went down the alley and hit all the neighbors buildings or fences. I got a certified letter from the city threatening me that if I didn't clean it up I'd be penalized. He got squat. How about a little community service for these jerks. They can clean up the mess and maybe mow the parks for awhile to take care of all the free time they have. Maybe paint the neighbor's house that is in sore need. What's with this world anyway? "

maya wrote on July 8, 2008 9:00 am:
" They need to make these kids clean it up! They also should give them service hours. It looks like they have too much time on their hands, maybe they need a job or a spank! "

Sean wrote on July 8, 2008 9:13 am:
" Repeat offenders who received no punishment. However...the property owners are threatened with severe penalties for "allowing" their buildings to be vandalized. Nice City of Lincoln, very nice! So this is the Good Life eh? Sounds like New York to me! "

MARK wrote on July 8, 2008 9:26 am:
" I do believe restitution needs to be involved with these types of vandalism, such as cleaning up the mess they created. I think the idea of mowing parks is a good idea too. A little community service for the city could be a good thing. Picking up trash around residential areas and parks would keep these guys busy all summer, if they really have all this free time. "

Make wrote on July 8, 2008 9:33 am:
" This kids ought to have to clean and/or paint everyone of these garages. Since they are minors, their parents should pay for the paint and the cost of labor. The money for the cost of labor should go towards the money the city is short in the budget. It sounds like every little bit would help. "

Kathe wrote on July 8, 2008 10:07 am:
" How do young people get spray paint? I thought it was illegal to sell spray paint to minors? Do spray paint purchasers have to sign for spray paint, like they do for sinus pills? Maybe that would be a good idea. I think assigning these guilty painters with painting jobs might extinguish their desire to paint. This type of offender needs to be taught to respect other people's property, and the sooner the better. "

Sean wrote on July 8, 2008 10:12 am:
" Again another reason that when 65 comes I will be moving out of this city.
If the City can't make these "Kids" clean up there mess and then tell the guy that was hit to clean up or be fined. On way I want to stay here any longer then I have to. "

Wondering wrote on July 8, 2008 11:04 am:
" These gangsta wannabe's also hit my mother's house only 3 blocks away from this location, The juvenile court should make these OG'S clean up the mess they made and maybe they will have some real "respect". "

mitchy_v wrote on July 8, 2008 11:44 am:
" Lets spray the offenders with PINK spray paint. Make them think twice. "

a disappointed art critic wrote on July 8, 2008 11:52 am:
" These fools hit up my alley and I saw one of them running away as they were doing it. Very poor craftsmanship! And then they used stars! Come on now, what kind of a gangsta tags up a star? What is this? Stars and stripes? I almost busted the pledge of allegiance this morning when I saw it. "

Sss wrote on July 8, 2008 12:54 pm:
" At the very least I think the kids should have to clean up their mess - fines should go into a fund to assist property owners with clean up - especially if the tagger can't be caught. And yes, community service is in order as well, and not give a choice of where to perform this service, but make it manditory this service be cleaning up graffiti, parks, trash, etc. As far as holding the parents responsible, well, I have mixed feelings on that one....I have a friend with 2 out of control teenager, they have run away, hit and attacked their mom (she got the ticket for child abuse even though they had her down on ground when the police came, bruised and batterd, knots on head but kid with small mark on arm), skip school (mom drops off at front door, they go out the back), breaking down the door, cutting out screens to gain access to home during school hours so they could party, suspected drug use not to mention the 14 year old having sex with a 19 year old (statitory rape)...but LPD wouldn't do anything to assist Mom. Mom told police where 19 year old lived, that 19 year old parent was allowing them to use at his house, reporting when they run away, etc, but still no help from authorities....and when kids realized LPD wasn't going to do anything to them - they only got worse...so holding the parents responsible would be good if parents could discipline their children without fear of reprisal from the law. I'm not saying beat & abuse your children but corporal punishment should be allowed. I remember when I was in school (I graduated in 83) kids were given swats when they messed up or acted out...not any more....we have a generation of kids now having kids with little or no consequences for their actions, not to mention they have no respect for anyone or anything - they think the world owes them everything for free. My son was no angel growing up, but he learned at a young age there were consequences - for example, he threw gravel out the window of the bus on the way to school, ruined a windshield, owner folled bus to school, my son admitted it was him, and he picked up trash and other work for the owner until he worked off the cost of a windshield....took him many afternoons after school and several Saturday's - but he learned something....and never did something like that again. "

sdm wrote on July 8, 2008 1:16 pm:
" Does any one rember about the american kid that got a public wipping oversease for graffiti I think it was in Singapore. Sometimes I wish we had laws like that. "

CS wrote on July 8, 2008 1:40 pm:
" My favorite latest happening was the two that were caught last week or the week prior, with paint and STENCILS in their bag. That's HARDCORE I tell you. Wow...I'd love to be a fly on the wall in that conversation with their friends. "

Snb wrote on July 8, 2008 1:52 pm:
" There's some graffiti on a building by 48th and Vine that's probably the best I've ever seen. All of the "artists" should take a look. "

ar wrote on July 8, 2008 2:52 pm:
" i tell ya the victims suffer in this city, and its not lpd's fault,its the courts, my son was the victim of an ex girlfriend, 1st egged his car and then was chrged with attempted stalking, she went on probation and had to pay our vehicle insurance deductable for the egging. she did the stalking on the internet by breaking into 2 of his internet accounts while on probation, put off her sentancing for 8 months and ended up being fined $25.00 no kidding, $25.00. there is no justice "

Near South Community Member wrote on July 8, 2008 2:59 pm:
" Great Job LPD and Officer Schreiner!!!! It looks like the Southwest Team has arrested two different graffiti groups in the past week. Keep up the great work!!! "

RAE wrote on July 8, 2008 3:05 pm:
" I was in Singapore around the time the kid got flogged (caned), if you could see how clean and "graffiti free" the country is you can tell this law works! Somebody tell the Judges to pull their heads from their rears, community service would be a start! "

a mom wrote on July 8, 2008 8:20 pm:
" i think that i saw on the news tonight at 6 that the mom of 1 of the boys turned her son in for the tagging. way to go mom!! "

Anya wrote on July 8, 2008 9:56 pm:
" Sure, have them do community service, but then send them to art school. Maybe they'll come up with something decent to display in Lincoln. "

To sdm wrote on July 9, 2008 9:44 am:
" Remember the caning well...it was an 18 year-old named Michael Fay. Despite pleas from the Clinton Admin., Fay received 4 lashes...that kind of punishment would work here as well. "

Charles wrote on July 9, 2008 12:12 pm:
" If done right, and quality, I think that we should look at graffiti differently, as long as it is accepted by the person owning the building or wall. Some 'graffiti artists' really do put out some amazing stuff. Banksy has become known worldwide for his stencil sprays, selling books and paintings for millions of dollars, even having one of his works collected for the film Children of Men. He makes a statement with his art, and so do many artists. If we had this, and an open mind, and worked with artists in Lincoln we could have amazing public art on our walls as long as it was okayed in those cases. When some moron writes their name, that's one thing, but graffiti most certainly can be art. "

Annoyed Property Owner wrote on July 13, 2008 11:36 pm:
" Sorry, Charles, but I don't have much sympathy for street artists whose canvas is other people's (or public) property. The vast majority of graffiti I see around Lincoln is on people's brick walls, fences or trash dumpsters, and in most of those cases I don't imagine the vandals had the property owners permission to deface. Those that get caught should definitely have to pay for the costs to clean up their damage, and (like the folks above) I think it would be a wonderful idea for the vandals to have to be the ones to repaint (or clean up) the property. And the mowing the parks idea sounds perfect too -- anything that would instill a little respect for the property of others. "

One who accepts different kinds of art wrote on July 27, 2008 9:19 am:
" Wow you all sound very mature for complaining about someone spray painting. There kids growin up. You can't tell me that you never did anything illegal when you were a kid and got away with it. If you guys want it to stop build a wall where it's legal. Also everyone who is trying to make fun of it: you should learn before you talk. I have to say honestly I like the graffiti. I disagree with it being in certain places. Such as people houses and personal items. But I enjoy seeing it downtown. "

taylor clark wrote on August 6, 2008 10:59 am:
" im a skateboarder so i see this everyday.. and to be onest with u who cares if people spraypaint. and if they did spraypaint something before cops should be aware of it and not be a big deal.. and if u do get ur house sprayed just put some plaster or paint it to the same color as it use to be. come on people think a little!! "