By Kim Hutchison
Staff Reporter:
Graffiti actually has a long and rich history but that’s not the kind being bought to the forefront here. Whether it’s the 18 local business owners who woke up to big, blue initials on the side of their building or a mother of two who woke up to non-existent car windows because they were smashed out with baseball bats presumably, in recent months popular Ponoka businesses and residents have been the victims of vandalism.
If it doesn’t belong to you and you deface, destroy or damage it without the owner’s permission or have decided to tag along with a friend who has, legally you have committed the crime and people may not realize vandalism is a serious crime with serious consequences.
Vandalism offenses are punishable as misdemeanors or even felonies with strict consequences include steep fines, mandatory community service or even jail times so think twice before having “innocent” fun with friends.
Here are some tips to reduce threat of vandalism, courtesy of www.ponokaorg.com
• Keep the property well lit at night
• Trim shrubs and trees to eliminate potential hiding places, paint the building white or use light colored exteriors so that intruders are more visible during the nighttime,
• Secure all external ladders and stairways so intruders are more visible during the nighttime, make properties as burglar proof as possible, use good deadbolt locks on all doors and secure all windows and erase graffiti and repair any minor vandalism as soon as possible.