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Record Graffiti Damage in Villach, Austria: Duo Causes Over 500,000 Euros in Losses

Record Graffiti Damage in Villach, Austria: Duo Causes Over 500,000 Euros in Losses
photo: Michael Fritscher / ÖBB/Record Graffiti Damage in Villach, Austria: Duo Causes Over 500,000 Euros in Losses
10 / 04 / 2023

A duo in Villach, Austria, set a new record in 2022 by causing over 500,000 euros in graffiti damage, with more than 420 cases attributed to them over 15 years. However, they were not the only ones caught by ÖBB, Austria's national railway, last year.

In total, 32 graffiti artists were apprehended in 2022, marking a 52% increase compared to the previous year. "Graffiti is not a trivial offence, but damage to other people's property. Solving these crimes is a great success and proof of how committed ÖBB is in the fight against graffiti sprayers," says Michaela Huber, Managing Director at ÖBB Operative Services.

In 2022, there were 2,946 reported graffiti incidents, a 37% increase from 2021, with damages totalling 3.2 million euros. The increase is attributed to the growing sprayer scene and better reporting quality within the framework of a central defects database. ÖBB has been using new technology, such as video surveillance towers, to catch graffiti criminals in the act. In collaboration with the police, ÖBB has investigated 167 perpetrators over the past seven years.

However, many graffiti artists are unaware of the dangers they face while trespassing on railway facilities, with the potential for fatal accidents due to high-speed trains, overhead lines carrying 15,000 volts, and falls in the track area.

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