West Midlands Police is investigating after more than 20 businesses and signs in a popular Birmingham shopping precinct were “blanketed” with graffiti. A wave of businesses at The Radleys shopping area woke up to find graffiti saying “LLT. RIP Tomo” on shutters, doors and signs on Thursday morning, July 11.
It was understood the green and white graffiti is linked to a teenage motorcyclist, named locally as ‘Tomo’, who was killed in a crash with a car in Shard End on July 4. Police said the bike, which was reported stolen, had failed to stop for officers before the collision.
One independent business at the Radleys, which is just over two miles from the crash site, told BirminghamLive there was a ‘time and a place’ for tributes, but defacing local, independent businesses was ‘not the way to do it’. Officers confirmed they were working with Birmingham City Council on a clean-up after businesses and what appeared to be the front door of a home were sprayed.
READ MORE: The Radleys shops targeted with ‘RIP Tomo’ graffiti after overnight spree
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One manager of a local business, who would not be named, said: “The whole of a local shopping district, The Radleys, has been vandalised overnight with spray paint paying homage to the young man killed in the bike collision. There’s a time and place for paying your respects to somebody and defacing local, independent businesses is not the way to do it.”
He added: “When I walked around it was absolutely everywhere. It was plastered on the shutters, someone’s door, it was shocking to see. We have had this store for more than 40 years, there’s a time and a place to pay your respects. There are various ways you can do it in a nice way but de-facing someone’s property is not the way to do it.”
A West Midlands Police spokesperson told BirminghamLive: “We are investigating after graffiti appeared in numerous places around The Radleys, Sheldon. Officers are liaising with Birmingham City Council around the clean-up operation.
“We understand people want to pay tribute to the young man who sadly lost his life recently but damaging businesses is not acceptable. We ask that people remember him in a respectful manner.
“Anyone with any information about the graffiti is asked to contact us via LiveChat on our website or call 101 quoting 1766 of 11 July.”