Graffiti vandal strikes again (From The Oxford Times)

Graffiti vandal strikes again

9:00am Saturday 14th August 2010 in News

Graffiti on bollards in Botley Road

MORE ‘Soak’ graffiti tags have appeared across Oxford, but last night police insisted the net is closing on the culprit.

The graffiti vandal has defaced dozens of buildings across the city scrawling the word ‘Soak’ on doors, garages, shop fronts and bus stops.

In the latest spate, tags have appeared on the already heavily vandalised Oxford Ice Rink in Oxpens Road, bollards in Botley Road and along Cowley Road.

Last night, police confirmed no one had been arrested in connection with the tags.

However, they insisted officers were following up leads and hoped to make an arrest in the next few days.

Police spokesman Chris Kearney said: “Officers are currently following up several leads and we hope to bring the person responsible for these offences into custody soon.

“Graffiti is criminal damage and detracts from our communities, and there is a cost for the clean- up.”

Last week Sgt Claire Storry, of the city centre police team, estimated there were at least 100 ‘Soak’ tags daubed across the city and likely to be many more. Some of the graffiti at the ice rink taunted the police: ‘Try stop this tager’ (sic) Anyone with information about the graffiti should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.