MILWAUKEE - A city alderman is working to ensure a Bay View area street vandal is held accountable for recent graffiti spray painted on buildings and fixtures throughout the neighborhood.
Michael Bodow is the co-owner of Bumstead Provisions in Bay View. He said he and his business fell victim to vandalism once before, and that’s why it upset him to see it happening again in the area.
“It’s a crime," Bodow said. "And it’s really a bummer when you and your friends are working so hard to be community oriented [and you] are having to face stuff like this.”
In this most recent spree of graffiti vandalism, the suspect targeted Stone Creek Coffee and the Bay View neighborhood sign on Kinnickinnic Avenue.
“It really is a pretty irritating thing to know that people who live in your community are going to do those kinds of things to community businesses," Bodow said.
Alderman Tony Zielinski said he's is on a mission to put an end to this kind of crime.
In a post on social media, the alderman acknowledged the use of surveillance cameras in helping to identify the suspect.
“These incidents dramatize the need to use technology available to assist us in the battle to maximize public safety.”
Michael Bodow said although unfortunate, he’s sure graffiti won’t jeopardize business in Bay View.
“Most people understand that it’s a bad thing that has happened to that business," Bodow said.
"And they’re not going to say I don’t want to patronize this place because they’ve been tagged by a criminal," he also said.
According to Milwaukee Police, since February, seven incidents of graffiti vandalism have occurred in the area, and it's mostly concentrated on the very north end of Bay View.
