The stepped up efforts can be taken as a challenge to taggers, enhancing thethrill they get. This may cause a temporary increase in the number of graffiti crimes, making the workload of those involved in abatement increase. A damaging form of rebellion. This must not be a deterrent to aggressive graffiti abatement. If a wall is tagged, painted, and tagged over and over again, eventually the tagger will go somewhere else.
Vigilance is necessary and effective.
I don't have the answer, and I am perplexed at social apathy and acceptance of graffiti. I once sat in amazement when hearing of a mother talk about her son as an artist when seeing his graffiti scrawls in his bedroom. Remember, the difference between art and vandalism, is permission. Apathy can take on other forms too. Apathy, is seeing graffiti and not reporting it.