ASKING FOR MORE GRAFFITI—Thousand Oaks residents have fought graffiti for many years. Cellphones can be loaded with the graffiti hotline number (805) 449-2488 to report graffiti vandalism as soon as it appears. The city of T.O. is improving graffiti removal. On the southwest corner of Erbes Road and Sapra Street, different colors of paint have been used to cover graffiti, leaving what appears to be a canvas of colors. It’s been that way for more than five years, but now workers are removing the different hues and restoring the wall to a uniform tone. NANCY NEEDHAM/Acorn Newspapers Thousand Oaks tries to remove graffiti within 24 hours after it’s reported in an effort to prevent crime perpetuated by gangs, according to a city report.

Now there’s a new graffiti tracking and intelligence system. Public works is working with the police using GPS tracking technology.

Before city workers hydroblast or paint over an incident they take photos and plot the location using GPS coordinates.

“This makes it easier for police to see a pattern and focus on tagging crews or gangs responsible,” said city landscape supervisor Kevin Wilson.

Sometimes it’s just a child with permanent marker and poor judgment.

Whatever the cause of the 800 or so graffiti incidents a year, the vandalism is eliminated almost as soon as it appears. Wilson gave credit to residents who have the graffiti hotline number readily available.

During the week, the markings are usually hydro-blasted away.

On weekends, staff on call covers the graffiti with whatever paint is available if the vandalism or art involves profanity, Wilson said.

That’s what happened five years ago on walls at Sapra and Erbes roads.

“There was profanity, so someone painted over it on a weekend,” Wilson said.

The paint didn’t match the wall. When the graffiti went up again, which it did “many, many times over the years,” someone just layered on whatever paint was handy, Wilson said.

It’s taking a lot of work to remove those layers of paint, but city workers are determined to get that wall back to its original form, he said.

Sometimes graffiti is on private property. When that happens, property owners have five days to remove it. The city will remove it free of charge if the property owner requests it and signs a waiver.