Time is running out for “Morty” the graffiti vandal whose tags have disfigured shops and buildings around Barnet

Graffiti vandal “Morty” who has sprayed a tag on countless doors, walls and hoardings might be about to be unmasked after a two-month spree of damage to premises in and around Barnet.

Oak Hill Park cafe proprietor Eva Danielewicz (above) hopes the culprit will be required to clean off graffiti which she has been unable to remove from the walls and shutters of her cafe.

Following the launch of an appeal to try to find who is responsible for the tags, officers at Barnet Council believe they might have identified a social media account belonging to “Morty” or perhaps to “Morty’s” father.

Council staff are said to have been hard pressed to keep up with the task of cleaning off “Morty” tags from premises around High Barnet, New Barnet and East Barnet, and especially on bus shelters, telephone cabinets and on walls and passageways.

East Barnet Councillor Simon Radford – seen above with recently-applied graffiti on the bridge over Pymmes Brook in Victoria Park – has reported numerous examples of “Morty” tags over the last two months.

“This clean-up has already cost Barnet Council thousands of pounds in staff time, man hours and cleaning materials.

“In the last few months ‘Morty’ has become a real nuisance. We are determined to try to put a stop to it and the first step is to identify who is responsible.”

A passageway between New Barnet Station and Station Road has been another regular target.

After the council launched an appeal on social media to try to identify the culprit there has been some success. Officials believe they have found “Morty’s” social media account or perhaps that of the father.

“Let’s hope that at last something can be done about it,” said Councillor Radford.   

Eva Danielewicz feels especially aggrieved over the way her cafe has been disfigured with “Morty” tags.

She has welcomed Councillor Radford’s support and thanked him for all he had done in reporting the problems being caused by the graffiti.

“One morning last month we found a ‘Morty’ tag had been sprayed in a couple of places at the front of the cafe and on the back door as well.

“I’ve got nowhere myself trying to clean it off. The only alternative is to repaint the surfaces so I do hope whoever has done it can be made to come along and get rid of it.”

Ms Danielewicz has been running cafe and Malibu soft play area at Oak Hill Park – at the junction of Church Hill Road and Parkside Gardens — for the last 30 years and has been distressed by the appearance of the graffiti.

Councillor Radford said “Morty” tags were especially annoying as they were popping up everywhere.

“The council has responded well in dealing with this graffiti but at a time when financial resources are so stretched we shouldn’t be spending money needlessly on such mindless vandalism,” said Councillor Radford who is the borough’s cabinet member for finance.