War on graffiti: Cleaners struggle to keep up with surge

Cleaners have been run off their feet over the recent months as graffiti across Melbourne increases.

One brazen vandal told 9News that his tagging doesn’t affect anyone and refuses to apologise.

But the rising cost of cleaning up is hitting business budgets hard.

For graffiti cleaner Jim Frid, it’s been non-stop over the past months. 

“We do it, eight hours of my life, every day,” he told 9News.

“I would say we have seen a good 25 per cent rise in calls and enquiries and business itself.”

The Melbourne man said it’s a disgrace.

“As a business, it’s even worse than a war because wars have an end but graffiti is never gonna end,” he said.

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However, one vandal was caught by 9News tagging said “he couldn’t care less”.

“It’s just enjoyable and a bit of a f— you, like people hate it.”

“I mean.. honestly.. f— you, it’s not hurting you is it? Is it hurtin’ ya?

However, graffiti is now being recorded at higher rates, thanks to Snap Send Solve.

It’s an app that helps community members report graffiti, illegal parking, dumped rubbish, trip hazards or abandoned trolleys.

Snap Send Solve chief executive Danny Gorog said that the app received up to 100 reports of graffiti a day across Victoria.

That is up 60, from this time last year.

In Brunswick, one business has paid to clean graffiti off its wall twice in 24 hours.