Whangarei police are vowing to get tough on shopowners selling spray paint to would-be taggers. An anti-graffiti law passed last month made it illegal to sell spraypaint to under-18s, and Sergeant Carl Southwick said police would show little tolerance when it came to prosecuting law breakers. Curbing the sale of spray paintwould cut the amount if tagging in the city, he said. The new law - which makes tagging and graffiti a specific offence, and carries a $1500 fine for selling spraypaint illegally - came into effect on June 26. Whangarei Super Cheap Auto manager Hamish McGuire said he had refused "quite a few" under 18s trying to buy spray paint and claiming they had left their ID at home. Shopowners have until September 26 to comply with another part of the new law, which requires them to store spraypaint under lock and key. Bunnings Warehouse general manager Brad Cranston said the retail chain would comply with the new legislation. Under the new law taggers face fines of up to $2000 - 10 times the old penalty - as well as community-based sentences.
