Graffiti on private property is most commonly found on garages, dumpsters or trash containers. If you find graffiti on your property, call 311 or  Solid Waste at 673-2917.

After 3 business days to allow for documentation, please remove graffiti as quickly as possible. Removal is the responsibility of the property owner. When it is quickly removed, the vandal is denied the satisfaction of having his or her ‘tag’ on display. If the vandal should return to write graffiti again, it is important that you report it each time so that we get complete documentation.

For more information on removing and fighting graffiti, click here or go  to www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/graffiti/.

The Real Facts About Graffiti 2005
Tom Thompson
Crime Prevention Specialist

Graffiti is a common problem; its intensity varies substantially from place to place. While a single incident of graffiti does not seem serious, graffiti has a serious cumulative effect; its initial appearance in a location attracts more graffiti. Local graffiti patterns emerge over time, accumulating in hot areas.

For many people, graffiti’s presence suggests the government’s failure to protect citizens and control lawbreakers. There are huge public costs associated with graffiti: an estimated $15 billion a year is spent cleaning up graffiti in the United States. Graffiti contributes to the decline in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of crime and gang activity.

The word Graffiti is associated with the Underground Alternative Lifestyle which is anti-social in nature.  Graffiti is a Crime consisting of illegal placement upon private or public property; that is what the word means “illegal.”

By gaining prestige in the Vandal Community, individuals relieve their stress and gain fame by others associated with this lifestyle.  To these individuals, a minute of fame gained may be all the greatness they accomplish in a lifetime.  This is why Graffiti in itself is so intense.   Vandals easily come together and bond.   An active tagger will accumulate two hundred to over a thousand tags in a single City each year.

With this information, we are hoping that you can help us keep garbage containers clean of graffiti.  Garbage containers that continually have graffiti on them only attract more graffiti.  Please help the City clean it off with Gang Busters available at your local Fire Station, or your own paint to match.  A list of Paint Vendors can be acquired through City Inspections to purchase paint at a decent price.