A Wednesday night report to the Anthem Community Council Board of Directors showed that graffiti and vandalism are marring the community near Anthem Road and Interstate 17.

The board members heard that approximately $19,310 was spent in 2011 to repair property damage, a form of vandalism, and about $7,200 covered work to repair damaged fences and facilities, according to Anthem officials.

The report prompted Anthem Parkside resident Bettye Ruff to suggest that more cameras be placed in different areas of the community. She said she believes placing cameras randomly throughout Anthem would deter graffiti and vandalism.

Jon Collar, Anthem Community Council's graffiti and vandalism coordinator, and Frank Young, the council's parks and facility director, gave the report. The information came from weekly field inspections and reports that are put together by Collar.

Young said cameras will be considered this summer.

The report stated that "approximately 90 percent of the vandalism that occurred in Anthem was graffiti, most of which was on common walls or playground equipment in Anthem Community Council parks or Parkside pocket parks. The remaining 10 percent of vandalism involves property damage and theft which is the most costly form of vandalism."

The report showed less vandalism occurred in the last six months of 2011 than in the first half of the year.

Graffiti on Anthem Community Council property is often painted over or removed within 24 hours of being reported, according to the report. More costly is property damage.

Collar said Anthem Parkside property was targeted more than Anthem Country Club. Vandals knocked 80 to 90 monument letters off walls, stole copper wire from the community's ballfields and damaged barbed wire along Desert Hills Drive, he said.

Many graffiti suspects are youth from Anthem, New River and Desert Hills, Collar said. The two officials believe gangs have not arrived in Anthem and are not the source of the graffiti activity.

The 2012 Anthem Community Council Board of Directors budget set aside $15,000 for general vandalism repair and $56,000 to replace several miles of barbed-wire fencing with vandal-resistant wire cable, according to the report.

Vandalism and graffiti in Anthem

Graffiti includes walls, playgrounds, bridges, pathway lighting, signs, utility cabinets and buildings.

Property damage or theft includes setting toilet paper dispensers on fire, broken tree limbs, sprinkler head damage, broken windows in the park, damaged trail lighting, damaged fencing along equestrian trails, cut and burned shades, broken bathroom fixtures and mailboxes.

Theft includes monument lettering, copper wire from ballfield lighting and theft of bases from ballfields.