Grafitti Problems in Palm Springs
There’s concern that graffiti may be on the rise in the city of Palm Springs. Vandals have been tagging buildings around the city, and a building under construction is the most recent target.
According to construction workers on the site, the new business, an O’ Reilly Auto Parts, is set to open in the next two months. About a week ago, vandals targeted the construction on the corner of Sunrise and Vista Chino by tagging on the sides of the building.
Resident Suzanne Datz said she’s concerned that the vandalism could be hurting the city’s image, currently undergoing a major revitalization.
“I think it’s terrible, people are trying to put up new buildings, people need to have better things to do than just go around and tag,” Datz said.
For business owner Troy Edmund, it’s a matter of getting customers through his door. He just opened TTZ Beauty Supply in the State Bros. shopping center, across from the construction.
“I mean it’s a hard thing,” Edmund said, “actually, trying to be in business down here alone, and to have them put graffiti on, makes it harder for people to want to come down here to this area,” He added.
Residents say they have even noticed the graffiti getting more intricate and detailed, but the Palm Springs Police Department says they haven’t noticed an increase in tagging or gang activity.
They are asking residents that when they see any graffiti, they report it to the police department. It allows them to monitor the number of instances and to also investigate them.
They say the more information people provide, the easier it is for them to keep track and determine whether there may be a trend.
You can report vandalism to the Palm Springs Police Department by calling their non-emergency line at (760) 323-8116.
The City of Palm Springs also has a graffiti hotline where people can report vandalism at (760) 778-8469.
Edmunds says in the meantime, he’s just hoping people will have more respect for the city they live in.
“The business owners they’re working hard to make a buck and to try to bring new things to the community, so if they can just respect that, that would be nice,” Edmund said.
