Southington Cracks Down on Vandalism

Vandals have been tagging mailboxes, signs and businesses in downtown Southington, and the town has launched a new campaign in hopes of catching the criminals.

“It’s very difficult to come out and see these things on our buildings,” said Pam DePaolo, whose furniture store on Center Street was targeted last month.

DePaolo said vandals covered her garage in spray paint and broke the windows.

“We're having repeated problems here. We need to be proactive,” she explained.

DePaolo set up surveillance cameras to help detectives track down the culprits, but officials are taking it one step further.

The town just launched a new campaign called “Act On It,” and fliers are posted downtown.

Town officials are encouraging residents to speak up if and when they witness these crimes or know who is behind them.

“We are asking people to act on it when they see this kind of destructive behavior,” said Town Councilor Dawn Miceli.

Southington police are also stepping up patrols and town leaders are telling affected businesses to paint over the graffiti within 48 hours.

“We want to keep buildings clean and keep them aesthetically nice and show that we do care,” Miceli explained.

She's pushing for a grant for paint removal supplies and asking volunteers to help clean up after vandals strike.

“We want to get rid of it as soon as possible,” Miceli said.

The idea is to show vandals that Southington is the wrong place to be and their and their graffiti is unwelcome.

“We are not accepting of it we take pride in our community,” Miceli said.

You can report tips anonymously to police by calling 860-276-1234.

Contact Us