Property Owners Bear Burden of Graffiti Removal

The City of Ames is reminding property owners that city code requires them to promptly remove graffiti from rental property, even if it is a nicely stenciled cat.

Members of the police department's Safe Neighborhoods Team, who've recently started to keep track of the unauthorized art works, have found 95 incidents so far. Most of the vandalism is in the Campustown and Main Street business areas.

And it's not all “N.H. + G.W. Forever.” Some of the graffiti has been carefully stenciled.

Police told the Ames Tribune that a small group of people are likely responsible.

Police Investigate Cat with the Letter M and Other Unauthorized Art

When graffiti is discovered, the city sends the property owner a notice asking them to remove the graffiti to deter others from adding to the vandalism, police said in a release.

Della Viti owner Gerald Caligiuri discovered a head of a cat with the letter M painted on his business' back door recently. He asked police to look at it, before removing the paint with acetone. Caligiuri said it wiped right off and he cleaned the door, before being asked.

But the problem has the potential to become an expensive one for property owners.

Sgt. Michael Arkovich, said rental property owners who fail to clean up graffiti could be fined up to $500.

So property owners could face both clean up fees and a fine.

Anyone spotting graffiti or knows who is behind the vandalism can report it to the police by calling 239-5133 or the tip line at 239-5533.

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