Crime Stoppers offering $1,000 for information on graffiti in Ann Arbor
Graffiti in Ann Arbor is a hot-button issue for many business owners, politicians, police investigators and the residents who drive and walk by the tags around town.
Crime Stoppers is offering $1,000 for information leading to arrests in Ann Arbor graffiti incidents.
Now, Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a cash reward for information
Troy Macon, Washtenaw County director of Crime Stoppers, said in a statement Thursday that the organization is offering $1,000 for information regarding graffiti and vandalism.
“Ann Arbor police and Crime Stoppers of Michigan are working to crack down on graffiti and vandalism in the county,” Macon said. “Crime Stoppers is offering $1,000 cash rewards for information … regarding graffiti and vandalism.”
Macon said photographs of people doing graffiti, names, addresses or any other information that can lead to arrests and apprehensions are welcome.
City officials repeatedly have said in previous months that vandalism suspects have been identified and Ann Arbor police are building a case against them. Graffiti consistently is being discussed in Ann Arbor and made headlines this month when six rail cars at the Arttrain site were vandalized.
Approximately $60,000 in damage was done between 1:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on April 13 when vandals tagged the cars with “Clams,” "Raw” and other words that were difficult to decipher.
Police did not have any suspects in that incident and were investigating if the tagging was related to other incidents that happened downtown and around the county.
Earlier this month, 18-year-old Tayo Norton was charged with spray-painting and using paint markers in the Library Lane underground parking garage in December. Norton is only believed to be a suspect in that isolated incident.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
hiphopopotamus
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:56 a.m.
SAES' flickr page. Look at the reflection. http://www.flickr.com/photos/79799796@N08/7599113462/in/photostream
Alan Benard
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:22 p.m.
Please make an example of SAES.
Lizzy Alfs
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 9:59 p.m.
I was walking around Ann Arbor with my dad the other day (including by the rail cars) and he was asking about graffiti. I also talk to a lot of business owners and landlords who are frustrated at having to invest the money to constantly clean their buildings. The landlord of the Mani/Isalita building installed cameras for that reason.
Goofus
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:40 a.m.
Cameras work. I don't know why this easy solution that is common in all major cities is not tried here...in A2 which obviously has a bad graffiti problem.
DJBudSonic
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 11:05 p.m.
Lizzy if you know anybody who needs removal have them get ahold of me I do it for many including members of State Street Area Association. Thanks.
DJBudSonic
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 9:50 p.m.
Here's a tip: try looking on Flickr. SAES was all over that and others are too.
Alan Benard
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:21 p.m.
Protip: LE should look up: What is an IP address?
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 11:18 p.m.
http://www.flickr.com/people/79799796@N08/
An Arborigine
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 8:55 p.m.
whoa, dude, I guess that wasn't ArtTrain, bummer!
Cory C
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
How about a phone number or contact info for "Crime Stoppers"?
Kyle Feldscher
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 8:44 p.m.
Thaaaaat would be a good idea. My mistake for not including that immediately. It's now in the story.
GratefulReb
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 6:53 p.m.
How about tearing down some of the blight where the graffit occurs. Tough to tag a shack when it's no longer standing.
Goofus
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.
Save the reward and invest in some closed circuit cameras.
hiphopopotamus
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 1:03 a.m.
As a business owner cameras are a good idea to keep your insurance rates down. I think cameras may prove to be a decent deterrent sometimes too, however they're really only good if you or someone else can positively identify the person in the footage. Which rarely occurs.
Goofus
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:43 a.m.
Plus they only are "monitored" if something bad happens...that's the point of a closed circuit camera...it's on a loop and is only checked when there's a crime...by the AAPD...way cheaper than Crimestopper awards and $60,000 clean ups. Just look at Boston and how they found the bombers.
Goofus
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 12:41 a.m.
If you added up the cost of what it takes to CLEAN up graffiti...let's see, this case it was estimated at $60,000 dollars...cameras are a cheap way to go.
David Wizard
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 7:34 p.m.
Yeah, I'm sure that $1000 could blanket the whole county in closed circuit cameras and pay for the manpower required to monitor what they record.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 5:15 p.m.
Maybe they'll turn themselves in. $1000 could buy a lot of spray paint.