More than 30 cars hit in rampage of vandalism
MORE than 30 cars have been damaged in Northampton by vandals using broken plant pots.
Vehicle owners reported tyre slashings and damaged car bodywork in several streets around Abington, with the majority in or near Broadway and Purser Road.
Mother of three, Caroline Smyth of Park Avenue North, had her Rover 600 badly damaged on Friday night.
The offenders gouged the metal work on every surface, including the bonnet, boot, roof and side panels.
It is estimated the damage caused in Broadway alone will cost more than 30,000 with some vehicle owners worrying their insurance companies may not pay out for the repairs.
Mrs Smyth said: "I don't think my insurance company covers it. That's got to be totally re-sprayed but you think, hang on a minute, it comes out of your own pocket.
"I am angry and frustrated. We have now got to find the time and money which we haven't got to repair this."
The son of Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Judith Moore was also targeted with the bonnet, side panels and boot of his Ford Mondeo extensively scratched.
No extra meetings have been organised, but Mrs Moore is urging neighbours to report any damage and be alert.
She said: "When you phone they say we can't treat is as a crime but if 10 people phone up it becomes a statistic.
"We get keying, which is annoying, but this was a really nasty, malicious attack."
Visual policing has increased in the area since the weekend in an attempt to reassure residents as well as discussions with neighbourhood watch co-ordinators and councillors in the affected areas.
Chief Inspector Sean Bell, in charge of community safety in Northampton, said: "Behind these statistics are around 50 people in our town who have had the inconvenience of having their car damaged and who have had their routines disrupted and are now out of pocket because of the actions of some mindless individuals."
Glynis Bliss, county director at Victim Support reinforced the issue of reporting all crimes.
She added: "If you have to park on the road there's very little you can do about people walking past and vandalising your car.
"It's an extremely irritating crime and causes a lot of inconvenience."
Ten men were arrested after the weekend's events, but were released on bail pending further investigations.
The spate of vandalism follows months of car-related crimes, including more than 200 tyres being slashed in Brackley, 21 in The Drive in Kingsley, Northampton, and 18 in Wellingborough.
sarah.carnell@northantsnews.co.uk
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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