NYPD Crime Prevention Tip: Vandalism

Is vandalism just part of living in the city?

Take a minute and read the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau’s tips about how to prevent vandalism:

When you look around your community, what do you see? Walls covered with graffiti? Spray paint on stop signs? Broken public telephones?

Unfortunately, many residents have become accustomed to seeing such things and don't think of the real costs behind vandalism.

Schools pay out millions of dollars each year to clean up graffiti, repair buildings or replace vandalized equipment. That means less money for other programs. The city - and, therefore, taxpayers - is forced to pay the bills for broken street lights, stolen signs and vandalized parks.

Local businesses pass the costs of vandalism on to customers through higher prices and homeowners have to spend their hard earned money to make unnecessary repairs. 

Ways to help prevent vandalism: 

• Be informed about the costs of vandalism and ensure your children and neighbors are also aware of all the direct and indirect costs.
• Clean up vandalism as soon as it happens. If it is on city property or relates to a city-owned item (street lights, signs), call 311 to report it.
• Protect your house or apartment from vandalism by using good lighting and locking gates and garages.
• If you see anyone committing vandalism, report it to the police immediately.
• Once the graffiti is gone, use landscape designs (such as prickly shrubs or closely planted hedges), building materials (such as hard-to-mark surfaces), lighting or fences to discourage future vandalism.

For more information on all of the programs the NYPD offers or for crime prevention and personal safety tips visit the Community Affairs Bureau's website.