Anti graffiti blogger causing more vandalism

05:46 PM PDT on Wednesday, October 11, 2006

By DREW MIKKELSEN, kgw.com Staff

An online blogger who claims to be cleaning up graffiti in Portland may actually be causing more cases of vandalism, according to authorities.

In June, someone started a Web site titled, "Fight Graffiti" that includes a blog containing pictures of properties in Portland hit by graffiti artists. It has photos of the graffiti as well as pictures taken after the graffiti's been painted over.

"We believe he is well-intentioned, but what he's doing is virtually the same as the graffiti vandals are doing," said Marcia Dennis, Portland's Graffiti Abatement Coordinator. "He is marking up property without permission... It really doesn't matter that he's trying to cover up graffiti, he's making our jobs harder."

Dennis said since the vandalism is getting covered up, police officers are not able to properly document the graffiti for their criminal investigations. She also thinks the Web site photos have prompted vandals to deface more property.