Can you identify who created this tag on the R.J. Sanderson and Associates building in Robinson Street? If so, Dandenong accountant Roy Sanderson is offering a $500 reward.By Shaun Inguanzo
CENTRAL Dandenong is in the grip of a graffiti epidemic – and business owners are going to all lengths to tackle it.
Central Dandenong business owners are outraged by a wave of graffiti attacks across the CBD over the past month.
Many are now scratching their heads for a solution to an emerging graffiti crisis whereby vandals are continually tagging the walls of private buildings.
Some traders, including Dandenong Retail Traders’ Association (DRTA) chairman Roy Aspinall, who owns Highway Bowls in Walker Street, say they are close to giving up graffiti removal from their walls because vandals return within days.
At its first executive meeting for 2007 this week, the DRTA labelled the graffiti crisis as the biggest issue facing central Dandenong for the year.
In the latest graffiti attack, vandals last week targeted Robinson Street accountant Roy Sanderson’s building less than 24 hours after the last lick of an $11,500 paint job had been applied.
A walk around central Dandenong reveals that businesses, particularly in Robinson and Walker Streets, are awash with unsightly graffiti symbols often called ‘tags’.
Mr Sanderson, of R.J. Sanderson and Associates, is now determined to see graffiti vandals brought to justice.
The accountant and chamber of commerce member said he would offer a $500 reward to anyone who could identify who tagged his building.
“I’m very disappointed,” a frustrated Mr Sanderson said.
“I mean the building had been dressed up, we’d made it look good, and someone comes along to mess it up.”
But the attack prompted Mr Sanderson to look beyond his own building and realise that graffiti vandals were plaguing the city’s business premises.
“I had a proper look at buildings across the road, and even my next-door neighbour has a whole wall of graffiti,” he said.
Mr Sanderson urged fellow businesspeople to unite and combat the problem. He suggested that business owners work together to devise a program that would identify tags and their creators.
“Businesses should band together and try and get tags publicly displayed so these people can be caught,” he said.
“We have got to put an end to this problem.”
Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce president Renae MacNamara agreed there was a graffiti problem and said she would push for a meeting with local police to explore anti-graffiti strategies.
She said Mr Sanderson’s reward scheme was a good incentive that could lead to vandals dobbing each other in to authorities.
“There is no honour amongst thieves,” Ms MacNamara said.
“If there’s a chance to get a reward people will do it, so it is an idea worth investigating.”
Mr Aspinall said the idea had merit, but retail traders operating on smaller profits would be hesitant to take part in a costly reward scheme.
“I don’t know the answer to this problem,” he said in despair.
“Maybe it has got to be made harder for juveniles to buy (cans of spray paint).”
To contact Mr Sanderson and dob in the person responsible for vandalising his building, phone R.J. Sanderson and Associates on 9794 0010.
