RESIDENTS around View Street woke to find up to 50 objects, including cars, houses and fences sprayed with graffiti and offensive language yesterday morning.
Police late yesterday charged two Goulburn males, aged 16 and 18, who they alleged went on a spraying spree in the early hours after breaking into a car and stealing paint.
It comes just days after graffiti attacks at Tirrannaville, where two Hamlyn Terrace males, aged 19 and 22, allegedly sprayed The Pelican homestead sign, boundary fence, Tirranna Public school, a bus shelter and road signs.
The 22-yearold is in custody on outstanding warrants.
Yesterday vehicles, caravans, sides of houses, driveways, fences and road pavements in View St, Dixon St, McAlister Drive, Hoddle Ave, Brendas Drive and Village Rd were hit with distinctive tags and expletives, some aimed at police.
Officers acting on public information arrested the teenagers at 8am yesterday.
One of the accused had reportedly written his name in the damage. Both were held in custody yesterday. The 16-year-old was charged with one count of stealing, six counts of malicious damage and one count of break, enter and steal.
The latter charge related to an alleged break-in on a Cathcart St home between last Saturday and Monday, in which jewellery and a laptop computer were stolen.
The 18-year-old was charged with one count of larceny, five counts of malicious damage and one count of breaching bail. They both faced a brief bail hearing late yesterday, after the Post went to press. View St resident Sylvia Peterson said she was disgusted by the vandalism.
The family van, used to transport her disabled husband and his electric wheelchair had its driver’s side panel sprayed with expletives.
The rear windscreen of their sedan was also hit. “Any sort of damage is bad,” she told the Post.
“You should be safe in your own home. I would have thought this was a good area but we’ve had trees kicked and our house broken into a few years ago.
“It’s just society. No one cares about anyone.”
Dixon St resident Lee Cargill returned from night shift to find expletives written on his driveway and other graffiti on his side colorbond fence.
“To come home and see that is absolutely terrible,” he said.
Two council work crews immediately went to work on the clean up. Engineering services director said Council normally didn’t undertake private jobs.
“But there was so much of it, we thought we should get involved,” he said.
Up to eight personnel worked into the afternoon clearing the graffiti with specialist cleaner.
Obscene messages were their first priority.
Mr Cooper said staff would work with owners on the best solution in cases where chemical could damage surfaces.
The council also spends thousands each year removing graffiti from its own infrastructure. But Mr Cooper said he personally didn’t believe it was a big problem for Council.
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