Graffiti wave in Purkersdorf: High damage caused by unknown people!

Graffiti wave in Purkersdorf: High damage caused by unknown people!

In Purkersdorf, Lower Austria, a series of graffiti vandalism between February 14 and March 10, 2025 caused massive damage. During this time, the unknown perpetrators caused considerable damage to public and private property, especially in the center of Purkersdorf and adjacent streets and squares. They left writings like “MOST”, “SEMO CAP”, “arion”, “hocus” and more on walls, bus stops, bridges, schools and many other surfaces.

The Purkersdorf police have been actively involved in clarifying the crimes and are asking for information about the perpetrators and other affected locations. Information can be reported via telephone number 059133-3233. The estimated damage is in the mid five-figure range.

Harm to the public

The graffiti vandalism activities are not only a nuisance for residents, but also result in significant financial burdens for the municipality. Nikolaj Hlavka, the head of the Purkersdorf building authority, explained that the general public would have to pay for the costs of repairing the damage. Removing graffiti is expensive and often requires special environmentally friendly cleaning products, which drives up costs even further.

Additionally, Hlavka noted that graffiti activity is seasonal. As temperatures rise, cases apparently increase, which has been observed in this regard in recent years. Against this background, the municipality offered legal areas for sprayers, but these suggestions did not find the desired acceptance among young people.

Crime and challenges in identifying perpetrators

In general, graffiti is a criminal offense that is punishable as damage to property in accordance with Sections 125 and 126 of the Criminal Code. The legal consequences range from fines to prison sentences lasting several years. Regardless of these consequences, identifying perpetrators remains a major challenge, as many sprayers leave no trace and there is often no video surveillance at the crime scenes.

The number of unreported incidents could also be higher than the police can record. For example, in the Vienna-surroundings district, 71 cases of property damage due to graffiti were registered in 2014, with a clearance rate of 49.3%. The following year, the number of registered cases rose to 72, but the clearance rate fell to a modest 15.3%.

Graffiti as an art form and social phenomenon

The dual perception of graffiti as vandalism or art is discussed in a current exhibition at the Steintormuseum. This not only shows the latest graffiti trends, but also looks at the art form from different perspectives. On display are photographs and works by graffiti artists that were created specifically for this exhibition.

Graffiti can be seen as a form of communication that is constantly changing. Artists are often inspired by everyday motifs, and the distinction between legal and illegal graffiti is constantly discussed. This exhibition aims to get young people in particular excited about the topic of graffiti and the art behind it.

Overall, graffiti is an issue that has both cultural and social dimensions, and it remains to be seen how the situation in Purkersdorf will develop further.

Further information about the current graffiti cases in Purkersdorf can be found at 5min.at, Details of the financial burden on the community are on meinkreis.at to read while the discussion surrounding graffiti as art takes place nordkurier.de is illuminated.