Published on the This Is Bromley site at http://www.thisisbromley.co.uk/

SHOP owners are counting the cost after graffiti artists went on the rampage in Petts Wood. Signature "tags" were sprayed on more than 10 shops in Queensway and a large logo defaced the Safeway building. Shop owners and workers are outraged. Safeway manager Tim Sheppard is offering free groceries to anyone who can catch the vandals who put graffiti on his store.

He said: "This is the first New York subway-style attack in Petts Wood and I hope it's the last because this is a pleasant area. "When people see vandals doing things like this they should report it to the police. It's not just us. All businesses are suffering." Boots pharmacy assistant Carole Smart said: "I'm sick of it. It makes the front of the shop look terrible. It's a small town but people won't visit if they see it looking like this."

Hirshad Patel, owner of HMV newsagent, had the front of his shop defaced. He has never seen any of the artists, but would like to see them caught and punished.

Petts Wood ward officer PC Dave Cooper said: "It's difficult because we don't think the culprits are local. The larger logos would take about 30 minutes, and we're disappointed nobody saw them in progress. Officers do patrol at night, but we can't be everywhere. "Sadly it seems to be all some kids want to do at the moment. They just spray anything. "It's very hard to detect and prevent, particularly because the smaller tags are done so quickly. It's like you or I signing a cheque." Anyone with information leading to a conviction can have a trolley of groceries worth £100.

June 22, 2001 15:40