Graffiti taggers and fly-tippers warned as Portsmouth set for more secret cameras to catch people red-handed

But those who graffiti, fly-tip and take part in other nuisance crimes across the city have been warned new secret mobile cameras will be lying in wait to catch offenders red-handed.

Portsmouth City Council has revealed five cameras costing £45,000 have been allocated for the city's CCTV network included in the proposed 2022/23 budget.

The cameras can be moved from site to site in a bid to catch out offenders and bring them to justice for their callous crimes. The move will bring the number of re-deployable cameras available to focus on city hotspots to 20.

There will be additional resources to help prevent the nuisance behaviour, issue penalties and clean up the mess.

The new cameras are expected to be in place at unknown locations from the spring as the clamp down begins after money becomes available on April 1 to buy the devices.

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of the council, said: ‘It is an important part of the work we want to do. The cameras can move around the city and change over time from place to place so we can catch people who break the law.

‘It will lead to an increase in the number of people we can catch who are breaking the law.

‘We want people to know they will be in any place in the city. It will be low profile, we are not telling people where they will be.

‘We have a long list of places where we are going to be using them.’

Along with investigation and enforcement, landowners will be supported to help them get graffiti removed.

The council will contact larger landowners and utility companies to address any graffiti on their buildings or assets.

Councillor Dave Ashmore, the city council’s environment and community safety boss, said: ‘Graffiti is not a victimless crime and in addition to being a detriment to the area for the public, there is also a cost for property owners who have to remove the graffiti on buildings they own.

‘We will use the citywide public space CCTV system and our re-deployable cameras to identify those responsible for graffiti and other nuisance crimes, and enforcement action will be taken against those found responsible.’

The council’s Green and Clean teams will use specialist equipment to remove graffiti where possible.

This could include on private land with the landowner's permission, but landowners remain responsible for graffiti on their buildings and assets.

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Victims of graffiti are being encouraged to report it to police by calling 101 or by reporting online so the crimes can be recorded.

Graffiti can also be reported to the Safe Clean Tidy team at the council by phoning 0800 0853840 or using the online reporting form on the website Report graffiti - Portsmouth City Council - Introduction - My Portsmouth

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