Cops: Graffiti increase isn’t gang-related

Reported incidents of graffiti vandalism in Costa Mesa have nearly doubled since last year, but most of the graffiti is not gang-related, a Costa Mesa Police captain said Wednesday.

More than 200 incidents of graffiti were reported from January to May 2006, compared with 108 incidents reported in the same time period last year, said Costa Mesa Capt. Ron Smith.

The increased graffiti can be attributed to several tagging crews who have spray-painted their symbols all over town, Smith said. The taggers ? and their graffiti ? have nothing to do with gangs.

Taggers write graffiti for artistic expression, but gangs use graffiti to mark territory. Gang graffiti often promotes a cycle of violence, Smith said. Police recognize gang monikers and known gang members and can tell whether the graffiti is gang-related.

Whatever the source, graffiti is an eyesore for the community and police said they’re serious about curbing the problem in Costa Mesa.

“It’s a very visible sign of social disorder,” Smith said. “We just don’t like it.”

Graffiti follows the broken window theory that if a broken window goes un-fixed, the building will draw more and more serious crime.

“If you fix the window right away, it sends a message that we care about this location, and it establishes law and order,” Smith said.

Costa Mesa parks and recreation chairwoman Wendy Leece said she’s seen a spike in graffiti in Costa Mesa in the last month and reports it to the city whenever she sees it.

“I try to call the graffiti hotline as soon as I notice graffiti,” Leece said in an e-mailed statement. “In the last month or so, I have been calling several times a week.”

Leece said the graffiti has been particularly noticeable on the Westside in the area of 18th Street and Placentia Avenue.

In early May, police arrested 12 teenagers who they believe were responsible for a large amount of recent graffiti in Costa Mesa. The teenagers were charged with misdemeanor counts of vandalism and have been released. Since their release, the amount of graffiti has gone up again, Smith said.

To combat the increased graffiti, police are boosting surveillance and patrols in graffiti hot zones, such as Joann Street and Sterling Avenue on Costa Mesa’s Westside, Smith said. If people spot graffiti, they should call the city’s graffiti hotline, (714) 327-7491. The city offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the conviction of anyone writing graffiti, Smith said.