Reward for information after more graffiti in Cheltenham
A Cheltenham Borough Councillor says he is so fed up with the “ever increasing tide of graffiti” in the town he is offering the money as a reward.
Last updated 1st Apr 2023
A £500 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of those responsible for graffiti in Cheltenham is being offered.
Cheltenham Borough Councillor Paul Baker (LD, Charlton Park) says he is so fed up with the “ever increasing tide of graffiti” in the town he is offering the money as a reward.
He says it seems a “small number of people” take great pleasure in desecrating the beautiful regency town with ugly spray paint.
“Often it is harmless but occasionally it is not and of course it costs the local tax payer thousands of pounds every year to remove it,” he said.
“I note that in his manifesto our police commissioner promised a zero-tolerance approach to tackling anti-social behaviour and the Government has announced plans to make the culprits clear up their mess wearing hi-vis jackets.
“That’s all well and good but first how about some real presence on our streets so that we can actually apprehend them?
“I am not aware of any arrests or successful prosecutions. There are certain hotspots which the police must be aware of and of course we have CCTV cameras in many locations too.
“I would say the council does an excellent job cleaning up graffiti but they are constantly chasing their tails, no sooner is it removed than it reappears again only days or weeks later.
By offering this reward I really hope that people will report this type of behaviour to help the police in what I accept is a difficult job given that this activity usually happens late at night.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said: “I understand Cllr Baker’s frustration. This kind of anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a blight on our communities.
“Tackling ASB has always been one of my priorities and my office has been very successful in attracting funding from the Home Office to address the issue.
“Unfortunately, there is no overnight cure, but recent crime records show that working with the police and other partners there has been a reduction of more than 50% in ASB incidents generally across the county.
“The police have a lot on their plate at the moment, but I will strive to see that improvement is maintained.”
Acting Inspector Steve Benbow, of Cheltenham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the constabulary is aware of concerns that have been raised about graffiti in parts of the town.
He said they work closely with Cheltenham Borough Council and their Civil Enforcement officers, Cheltenham BID and other partner agencies to tackle this issue.
“We hold regular meetings to identify locations and plan what can be done to prevent and reduce it. This includes increasing patrols, trawling CCTV, engaging with schools, and helping remove any graffiti as soon as possible.
“It can be very difficult to identify offenders, as they will often hide their faces. However, we continue to follow every line of enquiry and will take the appropriate action when necessary. We work hard to address the concerns of local communities.
“Targeted activity with a view to arrest and prosecution is just one strand of our approach, which seeks to prevent offences and divert young people away from criminality.”