I've noticed a huge increase in graffiti vandalism occurring in Northeast Philadelphia over the last five to ten years, Graffiti tags are now appearing in neighborhoods where they previously were unseen. I have a begrudging respect for some of the true graffiti "artists" who show some talent for their craft, but can't stand the inept "toys" who leave their unintelligible scrawl all over private and public property. I'm disgusted with these childish tags that appear on mailboxes, lamp posts, traffic control boxes, and street signs. These "writers" obviously have no talent and they lend an overall blighted appearance to every neighborhood they touch. I usually see the same idiots' tags everywhere.

What's up with you so-called "writers?" Do you have identity issues? Doesn't Mommy and Daddy show you enough attention? Do you have no friends? If you have friends are they also losers like you? If you want to paint or draw, do something constructive and take art classes and stop being so loserly.

What about you residents? Why isn't anybody doing anything about it? Are you residents blind, indifferent, or both? Don't you know that graffiti in your neighborhood degrades the value of your property? Are you going to let these little punks rob you of the equity in your home?

Are you going to run away to the suburbs in search of greener pastures only to find you are now "house poor" and subject to usurious property tax rates? Are you going to find a substantial amount of your pay going into the fuel tank of your car and an even greater amount of your time consumed in nerve-wracking commutes?

I subscribe to the "broken window theory." If little crimes such as graffiti vandalism are ignored, the real bad guys will see that nobody cares and take over your neighborhoods. Are you going to be happy when some thugs are slingin' rocks on the corner and you're afraid to walk to the store?

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Good way to clean many tags... ...is to use acetone or carb & choke cleaner that can be purchased from any auto parts store. It disolves most spray paint and magic marker from non-porous surfaces.

Get to work !



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I've been battling this crap for years now. The stuff you're talking about, little marker scrawls on poles, signs, mail boxes, etc... I was given a bunch of graffitti kits by the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network http://www.phila.gov/antigraffiti/. They were supposed to be for our town watch members to carry in their cars, but most declined to do it...The kits each included gloves, goggels, and a bottle of Tag-Away. The stuff works great!
In my immediate area, I don't let any mark stay for more than a day from when I see it. And it really seems to pay off. There are very few repeat offenders when you stay on top of it this way. The little geniuses realize it's a waste of their markers around here. A couple of times neighbors have seen me cleaning up, and they make comments like "There should be more neighbors like you"....And they go back in the house and forget the whole thing.
It is up to us to control our neighborhoods. The city can't do it for us. You have to hit the graffitti as soon as it appears. The longer it stays up it has two effects. First, it gives the little darlings the impression that nobody is watching or cares about that particular area, which only invites more garbage and eventually a drug corner. Secondly, there's the pride thing. None of them want to see someone else's tag in a spot where theirs could be. So they start writing/painting over each other's stuff, and then the whole mess really starts to look like doodie.
It's one of those things that is hard to get people in an area to notice, until it is too late. A lot of it, in the begining, is hard to notice as you drive home from work, etc. But for those who actually come out from time to time to walk the neighborhood, you begin to see the places where it starts, and over time, you get a sense of where to check as you drive home each day.
We are not going to make graffitti go away in the city, but if you are concerned about your immediate area, it dosen't take much to stay on top of it, before it gets out of hand. Give PAGN a call and see if they will still give out supplies. I think you have to be a member of a neighborhood group, such as townwatch, to get them, but it's worth asking. They told me they were thrilled that I/we were offering our help with the problem. Actually, I hope they are still giving out the supplies, because I am running low myself...
Good luck with this!
ps If you are concerned about the wrong people seeing you clean up, try early in the morning (3-4am) when most of the bums are sleeping because they've been up all night doing their arts and crafts....

I call 686-0000 (Anti-Graffiti Network) and file PPD role call complaints when I see an unusually large amount of it.

I have seen sidewalks, brick walls and the streets tagged. Scca28, does the stuff in the kit work on these surfaces?

This is the single most important way to remove it. Do not wait. remove it as soon as you see it. I've taken classes about it at work and this is the most effective way.. I do same thing.. I have grafittle spray from work and it works great when then creeps tag a sign pole out in front of my house..

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There is an organization called C.L.I.P. that will take care of graffiti vandalism as well as nuisance properties, unmown lawns, and trash.

I try to remove as much of the tagging as I can myself, but the task often seems overwhelming. I only wish more people would get involved. It would keep the neighborhood that much cleaner and would definately send a message to these losers.

I have been in contact with C.L.I.P. who is pretty responsive to the large graffiti tags that mar walls - much of which needs to be powerwashed. The only problem is, you have to give them the exact address, a description of the surface that is damaged, and with what media, (marker, paint) the surface is damaged. They also don't bother much with the little stuff like tags on mailboxes, signs, etc.

I'd like to see the punks arrested and forced to do community service cleaning up the mess they've created. Back in November, my girlfriend was driving home from work and actually saw one of these punks going down Bustleton Avenue hitting every mailbox, traffic control box, newspaperbox, and bus shelter along the way. It was only 6:30 PM and nobody saw this creep? Graffiti taggers are not violent and would probably cower in the corner if you confronted them.

Wazzup, homies? Maybe you're watching too many rap videos? You think ghetto life is glamorous? You think you got what it takes to be a gangsta? Maybe I should take a few of you down to the 'hood to see what it's really like. You wouldn't last an hour.

The offenders hit the Rita s water ice stores in Olney and the NE.They bring down the value of the houses with their art .Then the low income renters can come in and destroy the neighborhood ! Look at what they did to OLNEY...

I know I've used it on the street a couple of times for spray paint. Scrubbed it up with a push broom. Never had to try it on concrete, but I would bet on it working. You might have to leave it set for a little bit, then come back and spray a little more to wash, wipe or scrub the surface. Sometimes when I walk the dog, I spray the tags, then on the way back I wipe with a wet cloth I carry in a bag. Only problem with that is someone else could walk by and touch it, so I don't stray too far. It's just sometimes it's not cool to hang around the spot you are cleaning, best to attract as little attention as possible.
As for the Tag-away, if you can't get it through the city, the company has a web site to order from, and I think they offer some package deals, quantity discounts, supply packs, etc. In a pinch, carb cleaner work pretty well. I used to stock up when the dollar stores carried it... Just have to be careful with either when cleaning street signs. If left on too long, they will eat into the paint of the sign. Usually the paint on stop signs, etc is tough enough that the tag will come off pretty quick before the cleaner starts to attack the sign paint.
Any other questions, I'll be glad to help!
Oh yeh, and take Frank's advice, it's best to clean it up as soon as possible. It comes off easier, and shows the little twerps that someone IS watching...

I have a can of goof off industrial strenth. I used it when I painted my railing and acidentaly got the paint EVERYWHERE!

It is my understanding that is great for graffiti.

My question is if the graffiti is on a painted surface (say a mailbox) you only want to take off the tag not the mailbox paint. What is the best thing? Would you then have to repaint mailbox? Shouldn't Post Office be responsible?

My parents mailbox where I grew up We moved there in 81 has been tagged a few months ago. Same thing I wonder why no one does anything about it.

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As I said above, most of the things you see out on the street (signs, mail boxes,etc) have much better quality paint than the crap the taggers are using. If you apply the cleaner and remove it quick enough, it usually won't eat into the finish of the item you are cleaning. And look at it this way; if even if there is some discoloration of the sign or box, it's still better than just leaving the tag there, in my opinion anyway.
Also, for the mail box, try contacting the postal service. I have seen some tagged boxes that had the tag removed by painting over it. The color match was too good to have been done by a neighbor. I would imagine the USPS has a crew to handle the cleaning of their mail boxes.