LAS VEGAS -- You see the mess of graffiti all over town. It has become such a problem, arrests for those breaking the law is on the rise. Just last year, Metro made almost 750 arrests for graffiti.
It doesn't take long driving around the valley to find places that have been hit by taggers. From neighborhoods to businesses, these criminals don't seem to care the damage they cause to companies or homes.
In the last legislative session, Metro testified to lawmakers, asking for stiffer penalties. Now, if you have are caught carrying around the tools of tagging, like markers, it is a misdemeanor. And it can be a felony when the damage is more than $5,000.
Kevin Child with the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force  started the Graffiti Hotline, and it costs $30 million a year to clean what is left behind by taggers.
Child says graffiti is a crime, not art. The difference between art and graffiti is permission.
If you see someone tagging, report it by calling 911, but do not try and stop the taggers because they may be armed. There is also the Graffiti Hotline, where residents can get the paint removed once these taggers have left their mark. The number is 455-4509.
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