Police have arrested a North Canterbury man who they say is responsible for more than 500 tags in various locations throughout Kaikoura, Canterbury and Dunedin.
The 23-year-old man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on 5 December on charges of entering agricultural land with intent and wilful damage for graffiti.
Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel says Police were happy to have the brazen tagger off the streets.
“Not only was the offender spray painting his ‘tag’ everywhere, he was also taking videos of his offending and posting them to social media and benefitting from the notoriety,” he said.
The offending tag was found on public bridges, toilets, walls, rubbish bins, walkways, light posts, former gun emplacements, train tracks, water tanks and drainage pipes.
“The offending leaves a lasting piece of graffiti on the public structures, and in some instances the offender has spray painted the same spot after councils have cleaned up their prior graffiti.”
“Graffiti or tagging is considered as intentionally damaging property, and we’ll hold offenders to account,” says Snr Sgt McDaniel.
If anyone sees illegal graffiti being undertaken, let Police know. Call 111 if it’s an emergency or 105 if it’s after the fact.
