Castlemaine Library is among public assets targeted in the latest spate of graffiti that’s left many calling for more to be done to address the unsightly problem.
The brazen graffiti attack left obscenities sprawled across the main glass door to the library entrance overnight last Wednesday with the damage left to be discovered and cleaned up last week.
Castlemaine resident Ian Braybrook was among several locals who contacted the Mail to express disgust at the defacing of the much-loved public facility.
“It’s degrading of the town. I noticed it when I went to the library and I was flattened when I saw it on the door,” he said.
“It’s an insult to the entire community and all the volunteers and people who work at the library.”
He suggested installation of well positioned CCTV cameras may be one solution.
“The cost of that would be much less than repainting structures like bridges all the time where you’ve got to bring in cranes and spend many thousands of dollars,” Mr Braybrook said.
“The cost of installing cameras would come out at a lot less and would be a comparatively simple preventive measure.”
Castlemaine Police Senior Sergeant Darren McQueen said CCTV had proven its value as both a means to helping catch offenders and as a preventative measure.
“Without speaking for council it would be something I’d be interested in,” he said
Senior Sergeant McQueen said the graffiti defacing the library entrance was “pretty brazen” and went a step beyond the “usual tags”.
The council’s Director Infrastructure and Development, Michael Annear, said graffiti was an ongoing issue for all councils, authorities and private property owners “with no easy solution to preventing it”.
“It is illegal in Victoria to mark graffiti on property without the owners’ consent,” Mr Annear said.
“Council continues to work closely with Victoria Police to monitor and patrol graffiti hot spots.
“Council will also be exploring the opportunity to work with community groups to respond to incidents of graffiti.
“Council has installed CCTV cameras in some locations over the last few years to reduce the incidence of graffiti however, this is a costly exercise.
“To assist us in identifying any new graffiti in the future we are encouraging residents to report graffiti vandalism via our Customer Request System on our website or with our customer service team…”