South Cook News

Illinois State House District 36 candidate Christine Shanahan McGovern addressed a recent graffiti incident that affected numerous vehicles and property owners in Oak Lawn. "Oak Lawn was not hit by mischief or shenanigans, but personal property was defaced by who knows who yet," she stated in a July 21 Facebook post.

"Graffiti is not art," said Shanahan McGovern, according to Facebook. "It is vandalism and it is a crime. Oak Lawn was not hit by mischief or shenanigans, but personal property was defaced by who knows who yet. What I can suspect is that they are not worried about jail time or consequences."

According to a report from WGN, Oak Lawn police are investigating the mass graffiti incident that occurred in the early hours of July 21. Affected vehicles were found between South Cicero Avenue and Laramie Avenue, between 107th Street and 111th Street. Police are searching for the individual responsible for the graffiti, believed to be a male who acted alone and approached vehicles on foot.

Screenshot of Christine Shanahan McGovern's July 21 Facebook post | Christine Shanahan McGovern for IL State Representative District 36 Facebook page

"Crime is creeping into the community I call home now. Please pay attention to what is happening," said Shanahan McGovern in her Facebook post about the incident. She added, "The Village of Oak Lawn, Illinois - Government has a Police Department that works very hard. They have asked to check your cameras and report any suspicious activity. This tagging is not simply an inconvenience but an insurance hassle."

The Village of Oak Lawn imposes fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 for graffiti offenses, depending on whether it is an individual's first offense or their third, according to the community’s Graffiti Reporting and Removal website. The village also regulates the sale of spray paint, fat markers, and paint sticks, limiting where minors can legally possess them.

There are multiple ways to report graffiti in Oak Lawn, including through the Public Works Graffiti Hotline. While public works will remove graffiti from village-owned properties, residents and business owners must clean up graffiti from private property. However, a removal solution is provided at no charge to property owners.

Shanahan McGovern is a mother, business owner, and committed community resident with a bachelor of arts degree emphasizing economics and communication, according to her campaign website.