A BOUNTY has been put on the heads of Maidstone's most wanted vandals who have covered the County Town in graffiti. Maidstone and Malling Crime Prevention Panel has put up a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandals.

Graffiti has become a big problem in the area with taggers scrawling their nicknames all over town. Office buildings, local landmarks and traffic signs have all been targeted.

The panel of local businessmen and council officials, which was set up to address crime and quality of life issues, has given Maidstone and Malling Police £500 to help bring the culprits to justice.

The money will be used in five £100 hits with the Kent Messenger newspaper carrying pictures of the most prolific tags Maidstone and Malling Police want to put names to.

Panel chairman Terence Lee said: "The council has spent a lot of time, effort and money in redesigning the town and opening parks for the benefit of residents only for a stupid minority of people that want to go round defacing it.

"If we can bring these people to task, this stupid minority, visitors to the County Town will be able to see it as the place to be.

"It is down to every child, teenager, adult and teacher to look at the photos in the Kent Messenger and if they know the identify of these graffiti writers to come forward and tell the police."

Mr Lee added: "The information we receive must be enough for us to do something about it. The £100 reward does not necessarily have to be paid to an individual. If they don't want it they can nominate a charity of their choice for it to be paid to on the arrest and conviction of the person."

Sgt Alan Newman, who is at the forefront of Maidstone and Malling Police's Criminal Damage Strategy, said: "The trouble with graffiti is it can happen anywhere anytime so we can't put up cameras. It is so sporadic we can't catch them with technical equipment or adhoc patrolling.

"I think there is a strong possibility that someone will be community spirited enough to say I know who that is and I will tell the police.

"Anyone might blow the whistle, it could be a school teacher who recognises the tag from damage at their school or a friend who is not impressed by what their friends are doing."

The Maidstone and Malling Crime Prevention Panel, which is run on a voluntary basis, is looking for someone to help run their administration for three half days a week. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Terence Lee on 07710 647966.