CALDWELL, Idaho — Frustration is rising as illegal graffiti defaces the city's beauty. This ongoing issue is causing growing concern among residents eager to see action taken to protect their community.
- Illegal graffiti is causing property damage and taking away from Caldwell's beauty.
- Caldwell neighborhoods frustrated.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Community members in Caldwell are fed up with illegal graffiti taking away from the city's beauty.
"They have no respect and they don't care about taking care of our community," said community member Jael Goss.
Goss tells me she wakes up every morning wondering what she'll see out her window.
Her street is among those recently targeted by taggers.
"I'm worried that my car is gonna be spray painted or my house and then we are gonna have to pay for it," Goss says,
"and then it comes out of your pockets?" I asked, "It does" Goss replied.
Just this week neighbors in the Stone Creek subdivision found themselves the latest target.
Many homeowners are helping to clean things up. And this isn't the first time. A nearby neighbor says his cul-de-sac was also recently marked.
"My nephews are growing up there and asking me questions. You kinda want to keep them away from it," said Issac Alnord.
Sergeant Scott Crupper with the Caldwell Police Department tells me the department takes this seriously.
"It's a crime of malicious injury to property or malicious property by graffiti and it's a misdemeanor if the damage is under $1,000 and a felony if it's over," says Sergeant Crupper.
Crupper says it's often Caldwell kids but other times it points to gang involvement.
"They are marking territory or communicating through graffiti," said Sergeant Crupper.
If it happens near your home call the nonemergency dispatch number and report the location and general description of what it is and color.
"We have a process to get it covered up for them. Just so it gets the community back to feeling good where they live," said Sergeant Crupper.