BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Business owners on Buffalo’s West Side say prostitution has been a problem for years. Monday people took matters into their own hands by putting up new bright yellow and black signs on trees and business windows.

The signs say, “Attention Johns, you are being watched.”

Business owner Jeanenne Petri says the police work with the community, but she hopes more businesses get together to let people looking for prostitutes know someone is watching them. Petri says the problem has gotten so bad, women like her just walking down the street are becoming targets.

“Women who are walking alone can be seen as being a prostitute when they actually aren’t. When they are walking to school, walking to their home, so you know I live in the neighborhood I’ve got kids, so we really want to see this cleaned up,” said Petri.

Petri hopes more signs go up discouraging prostitution. She told News 4 the Chief of Police in the D-District has been helpful as they fight the problem.