'Nice area' in Lower Darwen plagued by car-damaging vandals (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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'Nice area' in Lower Darwen plagued by car-damaging vandals
12:00pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in News
By Dan Clough, Reporter
CCTV captured a vandal in Sandy Lane
CAR vandals have caused misery for people living in part of Blackburn following a spate of attacks.
Cars in Sandy Lane and Cross Street, Lower Darwen, and the Oakdale Estate were all targeted this week.
Elaine Humphreys, of Sandy Lane, said her husband’s car had been attacked with the wing mirrors kicked off.
Mrs Humphreys said: “They did two more cars round the corner in Cross Street as well.
“I think there was a group of youths doing it as some others were shown on the camera walking past soon after.”
Mrs Humphreys said there had been problems with youths in the area. “On Monday night there was a group of them drinking in the street. We have had problems recently, especially during the holidays.
“We haven’t had a quote yet for the repairs to our car but it is a huge inconvenience and will cost a lot of money to fix.”
CCTV images of a female seen near the car on the night it was vandalised have been given to police.
Kezia Cameron-Atkin, of Darwen, said her boyfriend had just moved to Oakdale and their cars had been vandalised on a number of occasions.
She said: “In July, we had our car broken into and two cars keyed and then last Tuesday night someone wrote the name ‘Danielle’ on to the bonnet of one of our cars.
“He has only recently moved to Oakdale so we have been devastated at the vandalism.
“It is such a nice area that we were really surprised when it happened.”
Fernhurst councillor Jackie Slater said: “I don’t know what is going on, there must be a gang going round doing this for fun.
“It is just ridiculous.
“We are lucky in Lower Darwen as we have a thriving youth club. So it is sad these others give them a bad name.
“It is a shame as it spoils it for everyone else because the youths all get tarred with the same brush when it is only a minority.”
PC Russell Lambert of Blackburn police said: “This is mindless vandalism that has resulted in unnecessary expense and inconvenience for the owners.”
Comments(7)
suzi q
says...
1:57pm Fri 22 Feb 13
There have been problems for a while now, the kids just keep getting moved on to another area to make trouble there. The police and council need to do more.There needs to be more deterent so that they dont keep doing it. Why should we have to live with constantly jumping at every noise, and curtain twitching when we hear kids voices,just in case they are up to no good?
happycyclist
says...
2:46pm Fri 22 Feb 13
suzi q wrote:Every word the truth. This is low-level terrorism and it wrecks people's lives because it consumes them and leaves them utterly powerless.
Having to take time off work to sort the mess out, out of pocket by a couple of hundred pounds for the damage to the cars and what will she get if shes caught? Nothing more than a slap on the wrist.She probably wont even be bothered about what shes done.Get the parents involved and get them to pay for the people who are out of pocket.
There have been problems for a while now, the kids just keep getting moved on to another area to make trouble there. The police and council need to do more.There needs to be more deterent so that they dont keep doing it. Why should we have to live with constantly jumping at every noise, and curtain twitching when we hear kids voices,just in case they are up to no good?
Catch them and make them PAY.
Good call
says...
5:47pm Fri 22 Feb 13
happycyclist wrote:Vandalism is not terrorism
suzi q wrote:Every word the truth. This is low-level terrorism and it wrecks people's lives because it consumes them and leaves them utterly powerless.
Having to take time off work to sort the mess out, out of pocket by a couple of hundred pounds for the damage to the cars and what will she get if shes caught? Nothing more than a slap on the wrist.She probably wont even be bothered about what shes done.Get the parents involved and get them to pay for the people who are out of pocket.
There have been problems for a while now, the kids just keep getting moved on to another area to make trouble there. The police and council need to do more.There needs to be more deterent so that they dont keep doing it. Why should we have to live with constantly jumping at every noise, and curtain twitching when we hear kids voices,just in case they are up to no good?
Catch them and make them PAY.
Lancs Lassie
says...
1:28am Sat 23 Feb 13
happycyclist
says...
1:23pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Good call wrote:Being frightened to look out of your window or ring for the police when you hear things being smashed up outside, for fear of reprisals is though. Being frightened to go to the shop because you can hear a gang of yobs hanging around outside your front door, and not wanting to run a gauntlet of abuse, is though. Being frightened to ever open your curtains or switch your lights on when it's dark, because you live in a ground floor flat where gangs sit drinking under your bedroom window, and you don't want them knowing you're in because of the hassle you'll get, is though.
happycyclist wrote:Vandalism is not terrorism
suzi q wrote:Every word the truth. This is low-level terrorism and it wrecks people's lives because it consumes them and leaves them utterly powerless.
Having to take time off work to sort the mess out, out of pocket by a couple of hundred pounds for the damage to the cars and what will she get if shes caught? Nothing more than a slap on the wrist.She probably wont even be bothered about what shes done.Get the parents involved and get them to pay for the people who are out of pocket.
There have been problems for a while now, the kids just keep getting moved on to another area to make trouble there. The police and council need to do more.There needs to be more deterent so that they dont keep doing it. Why should we have to live with constantly jumping at every noise, and curtain twitching when we hear kids voices,just in case they are up to no good?
Catch them and make them PAY.
bigdee123
says...
10:38pm Sun 24 Feb 13
the friday before last i got a phonecall at 11.30pm off my mother in law who had stopped to buy some food.
the car she was in was surrounded by 10+ youths who were abusive and even resorted to licking the car windows.
a couple of weeks previous the local petrol station owner (in his late 70s) was dragged to the floor and attacked.
the only language these **** understand is a good beating.
Angusam says...
12:21pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Lets hope they catch this scumbag and make her pay for what shes done.
It is a massive inconvenience for people when this sort of thing occurs and if you claim on your insurance it goes up by hundreds of pounds at renewal.