Is Vandalism Affecting Your Charlottesville Business?

3/27/2019 (Permalink)

Ignoring vandalism can encourage further acts and deter possible customers.

It’s dark. The gate is just slightly open. A dark figure slips through the gate and circles around a small office building. A lone car drives by. But as the sound of the engine fades, so do the headlights and darkness returns to cover the hiding spot of the dark figure. There is a quiet hiss of aerosol for a few moments and then the figure disappears into the night and there is no one to see what has happened until the next morning. In the light of a chilly spring morning, you pull up to begin your work day and see the evidence of what happened the night before: the side of your office has been brightly tagged in paint.

Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be the story of your place of work. You and your team can take steps to deter and hopefully prevent vandalism.

Steps to Take before Vandalism Strikes

To begin, make sure to keep the area around your business well-kept and clean. Well-manicured landscaping and a regularly maintained building can help deter vandalism. You can even use your landscaping to help protect otherwise easy-to-reach marks. Large bushes or plants that are prickly can be placed under and in front of windows and walls that could be targeted.

You can also increase the security around your place of business. Secure gates and entrances to make it harder to enter the premises and keep the area well-lit. You can also add motion-sensor lights or security systems.

If you are the victim of vandalism, make sure to clean up the damage as soon as possible to discourage additional vandalism.

What to Do If You Find Vandalism on Your Property

Steps to clean up vandalism vary greatly depending on the kind. The simplest to clean are cases involving eggs and toilet paper. To clean egg, you will want to act as quickly as possible. Use a garden hose or a combination of soapy water to clean egg off the side of a building or a car. Avoid using a power washer as this can remove paint and damage siding. Toilet paper can persist if you try to pull it down. Instead, use a leaf blower or a long implement like a pool net to gently lift the toilet paper off tree branches and buildings.

Other cases, not as easily remedied, can involve paint or broken windows. If there is broken glass, be very careful to pick up all large pieces and vacuum up any smaller pieces left behind. If there is paint, be very careful with any home remedies as many paint removing products can also harm the materials under the paint, like siding and masonry. If you have any questions about graffiti removal or vandalism cleanup, give our office a call or like us on Facebook to be updated on more tips and tricks like this.