Street taggers earn disgust of residents (+videos)

Residents of a Rotorua street are disgusted their fences, letterboxes and footpaths have been targeted by taggers.

About 15 properties in Kawaha Point Rd, between the railway line and Fairy Springs Rd, were marked with fluorescent spraypaint. Locals discovered the graffiti yesterday.

One side of Terry Haines' fence was tagged with a large explicit word and what looked like initials. "I took my wife to work at 6.15 this morning and saw it. I was horrified," he said.

Karpeet Singh of Kawaha Point Superette where doors, a sign and windows were tagged. The graffiti has been pixelated to not give recognition to the taggers. Photo / Ben Fraser

"I was disgusted people would do this to other people's property. They don't even know us. [My wife] was horrified ..."

He had spent nearly an hour sanding back three panels of his fence . "I need to buy a new sanding disc. I tried to paint over it but that didn't work. We've spent a lot of money doing our place up and it's just heartbreaking to see this."

Mr Haines said he thought the tagging was "territorial marking".

"Occasionally there would be an odd party but there's been no problems around here since I've lived here. There's the odd bottle and can thrown but we go and pick them up."

Another resident, Maggie Pryce, said her husband discovered the graffiti as he went to collect the newspaper.

"We didn't hear anything last night. Usually the dogs would bark but I had them inside because it was Guy Fawkes night with the fireworks."

Also targeted was the Kawaha Point Superette. Its sign, doors and side windows were marked. "It doesn't look good. We've had many customers come in upset about it," shop assistant Karpeet Singh said.

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"I rang and told the owner as soon as I opened and he's on his way to look at it - he's going to be angry."

The Rotorua District Council dispatched its graffiti removal contractor to the area as public property, including posts and power boxes, were also tagged.

Rotorua police prevention manager Inspector Ed Van Den Broek said police had received one wilful damage report from Kawaha Point Rd.