POLICE would like to speak to two men captured on security cameras after up to 30 stores in Bridge Mall were vandalised during a 30-minute graffiti spree.
The words "Never trust a woman" along with an image of a female were stencilled onto the windows of between 20 and 30 stores during Tuesday night's trail of destruction.
Bridge Mall centre manager David Nolan said most of the damage had been cleaned up by late yesterday morning, but the two suspects were caught on closed circuit television.
The mall's six security cameras showed that the window-a-minute graffiti orgy began at 9.26pm and ended at 10.03pm.
Since their introduction, the cameras have proved to be an effective crime deterrent, including capturing escaped prisoner Trevor Bransgrove on film last September.
Mr Nolan was yesterday encouraging all of the stores involved to file individual reports to the police.
He also called for US-style justice to be handed out to the culprits when caught, forcing them to carry out graffiti cleaning as a punishment.
"The cameras are very effective and I'm confident that the police will quickly identify these people from the images," Mr Nolan said.
"Bridge Mall traders will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and somebody must know who these two people are.
"They both look to be aged in their 20's and should really know better.
"Most of the damage was cleaned-up early today so as not to let these people see the results of their handiwork.
"I'm keen that any punishment should fit the crime and I would like to see these two made to clean-up graffiti as happens in the US."
The Lingerie Shop owner Jenny Britten said she was shocked and offended by the vandalism.
"We pride ourselves on having a nice shop and on the mall looking nice. Nothing like this has happened for a while," Ms Britten said.
Best and Less assistant manager Cailley Wilson said the store had filed its complaint to the police.
"The vandals actually threw a rock through our window which will prove expensive to replace," Ms Wilson said.
If anyone knows the identity of the two men involved, they should call Constable Andrew Griffin at Ballarat Police on 5336 6000.