Wipe out graffiti bid

Sep 19 2002 By Helen Harper, Caernarfon And Denbigh Herald

POLICE are to clamp down on vandals following a recent spate of graffiti attacks in Gwynedd towns and villages.

Vandals have targeted a number of locations over recent weeks daubing painted messages on walls and spraying sinister graffiti in bus shelters.

In Llanberis, a sinister message was daubed on the bus shelter next to the Maes Padarn estate.

A reference to extremist group Combat 18 was daubed in huge letters next to a Nazi swastika.

The graffiti was daubed before the high profile half Ironman triathlon took place in the village over a week ago and has outraged businesses and residents.

Llanberis project officer Pat Jones said: "Our view is that it is such a shame that graffiti is used in a beautiful tourist area like Llanberis. It spoils it for everyone, it looks horrible and does not help the cause of the people responsible for this."

Gwynedd council was this week cleaning up graffiti in Caernarfon including the subway which has been repeatedly targeted by vandals.

Caernarfon pensioner Anita Kirk said that she had been appalled.

She said: "It's no wonder that some of the pensioners are crossing the main road into Caernarfon by the Eagle's. They are too scared to go into the subway because of obscene graffiti. I walked through the tunnel this morning (Tuesday); there was graffiti everywhere."

A police spokesman said: "There have been a number of incidents over recent weeks which we have been informed of. We are treating these attacks very seriously and are appealing for witnesses ."