Vandalism shock: graffiti attacks at train stations in Hesse!

Vandalism shock: graffiti attacks at train stations in Hesse!

A few days ago, several spectacular cases of vandalism occurred at train stations in northern, eastern and central Hesse, when unknown perpetrators daubed a large number of passenger carriages and locomotives with graffiti. The federal police are now investigating a total of five cases and are calling on the public to call for witnesses. The graffiti took place between October 24th and 28th.

The extent of the property damage is shocking! At Fulda train station, a large area of ​​70 square meters was defaced with graffiti, causing costs of around 8,400 euros. Three parked passenger cars at Bebra station also suffered damage estimated at 6,000 euros. Gießen and Wolfhagen were also not spared: here the damage amounts to around 2,650 euros. The total damage for all incidents is estimated at 18,000 euros - a real nightmare for the railway!

The police get involved!

Officials strongly warn of the serious consequences of such crimes. “Graffiti on railway facilities not only represents significant damage to property, but also entails high cleaning costs,” emphasize the police officers. In addition, damaged trains often have to be temporarily taken out of service, which can significantly affect rail traffic. Authorities would like to urge the public to immediately report suspicious observations in order to bring perpetrators to justice.

The Kassel Federal Police Inspectorate accepts tips on (05 61) 81 61 60 or via the Federal Police website. In order to legally give space to the sprayers' creative urges, the city of Fulda has been relying on the “Open Street Gallery” under the bridge on Neuenberger Straße since 2023, where the graffiti artists' art receives a legal platform. But the graffiti at the train stations shows that the boundaries between art and vandalism are often blurred!