(Photo of home) A resident is outraged today after receiving a summons from the Inspections Department for Gang-related Graffiti sprayed on her home, TLS has learned. The home, located in the Ridge Avenue area is one of dozens of homes around town sprayed with Gang-related Graffiti, as reported here on TLS. “This is not acceptable” the homeowner told TLS. “Why should I be paying for this? The town has to get a grip on these criminals” she said. “And it’s not like we didn’t do anything about the Graffiti”. “This is the second time we had our home sprayed up” she said. “I told the enforcement officer, who happened to be a nice man, that the first time this happened, we had a painter come and cover it up, but I’m not going to spend money a second time when they’ll just spray it up again” she said. The Code Enforcement Officer who issued the summons responded “I’m just doing my job”.
The woman told TLS she has contacted Police for both graffiti incidents, and detectives were sent down to investigate.
However, when she asked the Police what they will do about it, the response she received was “We have about 8 Officers out on a regular night. But if there’s an emergency, and ties up 3-4 Officers, that leaves us with about 4 Officers. They can’t be everywhere around town at the same time”. So we can’t really do anything about it unless we catch them in the act” the Officer said.
The woman said she is waiting for a call back from a town Official whom she reached out to regarding the matter, in hopes of getting the issue resolved.
A call to the Inspection Department has not yet been returned.
Did the graffiti artists fill out their Census Forms?
I truly feel your frustration of having to pay for something you didnt want or do, however if you would have had a windows broken by one of these thugs you would have had it fixed the next day, because no one wants to have a broken windows no matter who broke it. when you have graffiti on your home its like a broken window for the whole neighborhood its an eyesore, the homeowner has a responsibility to keep his home looking nice. Finally to blame it on the police is babyish talk we all know the police cant be all over 24 hours a day lets be realistic, it takes about 20 seconds to spray paint a house even if there was a cop around the block from you by the time he circles the block they’d be gone (dont forget they look out for cops too)
Outrageous!!!!!!!!!
and only 8 officers?????!!!!!!!!!!!?????????
she thinks public works is gonna paint? is she sane??? or is DPW insane??
What about the graffiti on clifton and 3rd and 1st..(Pedestrian signs!!)it was put there ….now we have fines….Why can’t people cross by the traffic light on 2nd street…
Paint it again. Commission some bochurim with a yummy home cooked meal, to stake out the spot until the perp tries again. Have them beat him senseless.
this inspector is not a nice guy . he didnt have to issue a ticket .
the inspectoin dept needs a shake up….Steve they have become a pain recently lost a few inspecter and provide lousy service and i am not a slum owner i just trying to mske a living
This is typical of the township. Instead of working with it’s residents it harasses them. It may also be a feeble attempt on the part of the inspection department to justify it’s many code enforcement officers. Lets vote in Hershel and get rid of the excess employees in town.
This is the way the inspection department operates. They harass innocent people. That’s how they justify their jobs. The try to rais money by issuing tickets. Vote for Hershel and get rid of these people!
think of this as a govt. stimulus program-go out to home depot by 10 or 11 gallons of paint and put somebody to work–everybody will be happy
I think Officer Butterworth should be assigned to a special patrol in the Ridge Avenue area. This would never have happened on his watch.
To #4 Shmiel: No, she doesnt think public works should paint it, but she doesnt feel like paying money to re-paint it, when everyone knows that the Gangs come back with a vegence and does the graffiti even worse. Basically, it doesnt bother the Home-owner, as she knows she will sustain more damage to her home in th end. It is a real nerve of the Township to go around giving tickets for this….
maybe there should be security cameras that can catch these artists
call a gang member and ask him ti use white graffiti and cover up his work. there are enough of those members housed within our community.
or call harold hershkowitz he is a great people person and will probably paint it himself for public relations. keep it up HH youll get in to the seat one day!!
Sorry man. We never meant for you guys to get a fine. We was just having fun. Should we clean it up?
well when you build homes up in areas where lower poverty and gangs reside, you will get this type of turf markings over and over. If you remember the police just arrested and prosecuted an illegal juvenile for this same thing a few weeks back. Fence your homes in and place high intensity lightening up, cameras, but remember to lock your homes, cars and report suspicious activity to the PD.
So if a thug smashes my healights can I drive without them and get no ticket? Yes you were vandalized and we all feal terrible for you and hope they catch the guys soon for everyones sake.but that’s what it is. If someone dumps snow on your sidewalk they might be an idiot but you gotta clean it up. That being said considering the circumstances they should have at least given a warning before a summons. And they prob. Should be putting their efforts into finding and stopping the criminals rather than aggresively enforcing laws on the victims.
forget the BOE outsource the inspection dept and the DPW and we will save the township lots of money.
The inspector said you have to cover the graffiti up. So OK, cover it up – with a coat of bright purple, or maybe florescent green paint just over the graffiti covered area. He didn’t specify what color to use, did he?
why can’t they look at the spy cams that are on every corner to figure out who the mutants are?
I plan to spray paint my yellow trash bin with gang graffiti.
Do you think Mogul and JD and Citizen Filled out their Census Forms? I don’t want anyobe coming after me – But I’ wondering I MS-13 filled out their Census Forms. I bet that the Bloods didn’t. That sucks.
it’s been there for weeks why won’t you just clean it up?!
It’s an eyesore to our whole ridge area.
Cars are towed, graffiti tickets are given,all with this I don’t care obnoxious attitude from people who are paid by the taxpayers. Then, if people complain the inspectors gang gives more tickets. Make these inspectors clean up the house themselves on their hour n’ a half lunch break.
Pay your fine. “borrow” library books to cover the fine. Works for me.
WE can’t come over to clean it up, the twp. committe is laying 20 of us off. You think your town looks bad now, wait it’s gonna get a lot worse. Oh wait your gonna save on taxes – U can’t be that dumb. Your taxes aren’t gonna go down, just the level of the service you’ll be getting.
DPW Guy – did all the guys over at Public Works fi out their Census Forms?
The wonderful human being who good naturedly ticketed the upstanding homeowner for failure to remove gang symbols painted by struggling young artists who pull playful pranks, should just smile and pay the fine and say thank you and then her husband should dance Ma yofus.
The whole inspection dept needs a cleaning from the top down. When the man running the dept says he cant tell his inspectors what to do you know its time for change.
“You think your town”. Listen how this municipal worker talks.
He doesn’t live in Lakewood or if he does, he sees it as 2 Lakewoods:
jewish and non-jewish.
Why can’t they just give tickets to Hershel?
I want to give a ticket to the astronaut who chose the yellow color for the trash bins. That’s worse than graffiti.
Someone should throw 3 buckets of paint at the inspectors house and let’s c what happens 😉
Time to bring Jeff Williamson back bottom line he was one you could count on and got the job done
Outsource the inspection Dept its the nastiest dept in the township just walk in there and you get attitude lucky if you are looked at.
(moderated) likes issuing tickets he thinks he will get a raise for every ticket book he finishes
What is wrong with it painted on a house can a inspecter now tell you he dosent like the paint on your house where do we live
Can Hershel get a ticket for making his store look like out of a storybook?
I know a few inspectors who could easily be rocket scientists or brain surgeons or both. Perhaps they could better serve humanity in that capacity.
to 31 – because that’s how the residence see it, and Yes i live in this town and pay taxes in this town. Be truthful- most of the orthodox see it that way too.
Landmines. They may wake the neighbors when they’re set off, but it’ll only happen once.
To TLS editor I thought names of individuals could not be used? Look at comment # 37
The township wants to cut employees across the board. This means the services will be cut as well as there will not be as many employees to cover the entire town. The residents will have to pitch in and help..the country is suffering through a recession..this means more help will be asked of the residents. You can only do so much with minimum manpower, the late night shifts are not staffed as heavy as a daytime shift thus having a fight or serious call ties up officers..its not just happening here it’s happening across NJ. There are going to be tough times ahead.. the pd is doing what it can but it can only do so much. Give them a break..they work hard in this town..and all they get is grief that they are not doing enough.
At least you’re candid. And no, If I took a paycheck from the township, I would see myself as representing Everyone in OUR township.
Fresser for special ops!
The home owner should not repaint her house. By doing that its encouraging the gang to come back again… she is howin them that it bothers her which only encourages them to do it again… why give them hana’ah out of this!!
It’s like they are playing a game. We spray you clean, we spray you clean…
if you just leave it till these babies out grow their game… the real winner will be the homeowner!!!!!
The dept has really sunk to a new level -they r all still here because lakewood is from the few busy dept in the state they should be thankful or we get is new fees this past january all fees went up redicouls charges like $25 for a zoning application when before there was no fee
inspecter from plumbing who has been solo ! you call the dept head you never get return calls
Steve lets see you shake things up
to 45 – no one here TAKES a paycheck. We earn one by performing jobs and tasks many in the Lakewood community don’t want to do. It’s a fair trade. Our physical labor for a fair wage. Do we have employees that are curt or discouretous yes we do, but try working in their shoes, some residents treat us like slaves and servants.
If I was your supervisor and heard you saying “your town”, I’d fire you. You earn your paycheck by working for everybody. It’s your town, my town, all of our’s town.
to 50 – yeah your right – oh but wait you already did fire me. Thanks for the layoff. Clean your own Town.
the homeowner was not issued a summons only a violation and the inspector was very cordial and understood her dilemma
I was wondering could it be that moving into a gang dominated area of town had anything to do with your house being defaced? Is the answer leaving the mess on your house? I’m sure the inspection department would be happy to not be bothered with half the messes they have to address in town. Incidently, I DID fill out my census form!
You’re surprised you had your had you house marked up by gang thug? Did you move into Lakewood during a blizzard maybe?
dudes, I have a great idea. I am going to start a tznius patrol. Every time I see a woman dressed inappropriately I wll issue her a ticket.
short skirt- $50.
no stockings- $75
tight top – 100.
I’ll get rich!
We will miss you. Your good natured personality was like a ray of sunshine for your town. Good luck and much success in your future career.