VANDALS are to be caught out by their own handiwork in a move to crack down on graffiti.

Police and council officials are to set up a dedicated website where vandals' "tags" will be displayed with a public plea to help identify the culprits.

Renfrewshire Council has built up a database of photographs of graffiti throughout the area, including Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone.

It is estimated that the problem is costing the local authority around £150,000 a year to clean up.

The council removes all graffiti which appears on its own buildings, including schools and council offices, and will also remove racist, sexist or sectarian slogans on any building.

Often "tags" are pseudonyms which are known in the vandal's community and police hope local people annoyed with the eyesores will name the culprits.

Inspector John Carlin, of Strathclyde Police, said: "Vandalism has a direct effect on our communities. Tagging is a specific form of graffiti that, in addition to causing defacement of property, in some cases can raise the levels of fear in a community.

"It is important we recognise that it is an offence and we will continue to report those who are caught tagging on any property."

Councillor Brian Lawson, convener of Renfrewshire Council's housing & community safety board, said: "Graffiti is one of those crimes that is regarded as harmless by those who do it, but in reality graffiti blights an area, is intimidating, often offensive and expensive to clean up.

"We are asking the public to turn graffiti detective and help us put names against the tags that scar Renfrewshire."