Tag Team: Fighting Graffiti In Westbury, Hicksville

Written by Cory Twibell: ctwibell@antonnews.com Friday, 27 April 2012 00:00

The Entrepreneur’s Group is canning spray paint work in area

Westbury’s Kevin Seck says residents along a two-mile stretch of Stewart Avenue that runs through Hicksville, Westbury and Levittown are “fed up” with graffiti in the area.

Seck and his son, Bobby, are members of The Entrepreneur’s Group, a small Westbury-based organization that owns property along the roadway. The group is looking to sponsor the roadway in the hopes that installing cameras and hiring a contractor to maintain the area will help deter further criminal actions.

“We’re trying to eliminate this by putting up some cameras and just trying to end this. It’s been going on forever and nobody really does anything about it,” Kevin Seck explained.

The father and son noted that residents have tried to paint over the graffiti-laden fences “hundreds of times,” but the culprits are resilient.

“We’re trying to set up some infrared cameras at night because you can never catch these guys. It’s probably just kids at night and it takes two minutes so we’re trying to get something done where at least we’re cleaning up the neighborhood,” Kevin added.

In an email, Kevin Seck called the situation a “win-win” if their sponsorship works and other businesses catch on.

“All costs will be taken care of by this group. If other companies or groups can do the same, there will be a lot less graffiti in the neighborhood. We are trying to eliminate crime and promote community unity at the same time,” Kevin Seck noted.

The graffiti is mostly scribbles with a few cartoonish faces in some areas. “Tags,” which show the spray painter’s name, are also visible, though the work doesn’t appear to be gang-related or hateful.

The Mineola American reported in late February that several swastikas and hateful terms were spray-painted throughout the area, including on walls and vehicles near Chaminade High School. Officials from the school and Village of Mineola, along with The Entrepreneur’s Group, are offering rewards for any information regarding the graffiti, which Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss described as “intolerable.”

The elder Seck is a Carle Place High School grad while his son graduated from Kellenberg High School and later attended Hofstra University, where he played football.

“I was born and bred here, so we’ve got a long history. It’s good to put some nice things out there in the community because there’s enough garbage going on,” Kevin Seck said.

Any residents with tips on graffiti throughout the area are encouraged to call the Nassau County Police Department at 573-7000 or email Kevin Seck at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .