Sixteen cars damaged in Darwen hammer rampage

11:00am Sunday 13th January 2013 in News

CARS were damaged after a group of youths went on the rampage with a hammer.

Sixteen cars in the St James area of the town had their windows smashed and bonnets damaged in the spate of attacks.

It is believed the vandalism happened at some point on Tuesday night.

Sgt Dave Sherrington from Darwen neighbourhood policing team said: “It would appear someone has walked down the road with a hammer just hitting car windows and bonnets.

“There has been a lot of expensive damage done to the cars.

“We need people to come forward because it can be difficult to get a result in these type of cases as more often than not there is little evidence.”

It came on the back of a number of wing mirrors, including that of Sudell councillor Roy Davies, being knocked off in Olive Lane on Christmas Eve.

Coun Davies said: “There were about eight knocked off that night, so I don’t know if it is the same people or not.

“It makes you wonder about the mentality of some people.

“They seem to think it is a blameless crime and they can just go out and wreak havoc.

“I just can’t weigh it up. Damage to cars used to happen on a Saturday or Sunday night when people were coming out of the pub.

“An annoying aspect is that people won’t report it to the police.

“Each individual incident may only be worth a few quid, but together - and if the incidents are linked - it is a good £2,000 or £3,000 of damage that has been done.”

Town council mayor and Sudell councillor Eileen Entwistle said: “It is dreadful. Cars are people’s livelihoods.

“It is just mindless and they should be made to pay for the damage, or if they are too young the parents should have to pay.

* Two juveniles have been arrested and released on police bail.

Comments (27)

11:41am Sun 13 Jan 13

louderfasterlonger says...

Its time to name and shame these mindless morons and their socially inept parents. They will be mingling with society with us being non the wiser as to their mental state.
Its time to name and shame these mindless morons and their socially inept parents. They will be mingling with society with us being non the wiser as to their mental state. louderfasterlonger

11:42am Sun 13 Jan 13

Info-warrior says...

It was Peter Gabriel and his band.
It was Peter Gabriel and his band. Info-warrior

12:34pm Sun 13 Jan 13

hi everyone says...

what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in hi everyone

12:48pm Sun 13 Jan 13

dg666 says...

hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!!
[quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!! dg666

1:01pm Sun 13 Jan 13

steve18gls says...

dg666 wrote:
hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!!
Well said !
[quote][p][bold]dg666[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!![/p][/quote]Well said ! steve18gls

1:03pm Sun 13 Jan 13

hettylee says...

Darwen is getting worse it used to be a nice working class town full of genuine hardworking people , now it's full of dole dossing, junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don't care where or what there offspring are up to so long as there out from under their feet and they now where their next cold one is coming from .... Sorry rant over
Darwen is getting worse it used to be a nice working class town full of genuine hardworking people , now it's full of dole dossing, junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don't care where or what there offspring are up to so long as there out from under their feet and they now where their next cold one is coming from .... Sorry rant over hettylee

3:01pm Sun 13 Jan 13

Panther33 says...

hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
My Parents showed me how to spell correctly.
[quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]My Parents showed me how to spell correctly. Panther33

3:26pm Sun 13 Jan 13

louderfasterlonger says...

hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves !
[quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves ! louderfasterlonger

3:55pm Sun 13 Jan 13

Elsie C says...

Panther33 wrote:
hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
My Parents showed me how to spell correctly.
Ha.... love it,
[quote][p][bold]Panther33[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]My Parents showed me how to spell correctly.[/p][/quote]Ha.... love it, Elsie C

4:07pm Sun 13 Jan 13

ChairOnMyHead says...

If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat
ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing. ChairOnMyHead

4:47pm Sun 13 Jan 13

Rimbus says...

ChairOnMyHead wrote:
If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat

ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
[quote][p][bold]ChairOnMyHead[/bold] wrote: If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.[/p][/quote]Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars. Rimbus

5:02pm Sun 13 Jan 13

ChairOnMyHead says...

They wouldn't do it again!
They wouldn't do it again! ChairOnMyHead

5:41pm Sun 13 Jan 13

over-rovers says...

Rimbus wrote:
ChairOnMyHead wrote: If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
why?
[quote][p][bold]Rimbus[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]ChairOnMyHead[/bold] wrote: If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.[/p][/quote]Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.[/p][/quote]why? over-rovers

6:27pm Sun 13 Jan 13

pwitch says...

Time for more CCTV then to put them off this type of behaviour - bring back the birch.
Time for more CCTV then to put them off this type of behaviour - bring back the birch. pwitch

6:58pm Sun 13 Jan 13

ChairOnMyHead says...

pwitch wrote:
Time for more CCTV then to put them off this type of behaviour - bring back the birch.
Liking it! I had my car vandalised a few years back and it caused all sorts of problems. Time off work to get it fixed, increased insurance payments and feeling absolute anger at whoever did it.
These thugs obviously have nothing of their own that is worth anything, and that includes a life.
[quote][p][bold]pwitch[/bold] wrote: Time for more CCTV then to put them off this type of behaviour - bring back the birch.[/p][/quote]Liking it! I had my car vandalised a few years back and it caused all sorts of problems. Time off work to get it fixed, increased insurance payments and feeling absolute anger at whoever did it. These thugs obviously have nothing of their own that is worth anything, and that includes a life. ChairOnMyHead

7:31pm Sun 13 Jan 13

happycyclist says...

A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000.
They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi.

There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000. They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi. There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs. happycyclist

7:50pm Sun 13 Jan 13

katey h says...

the goverment needs to get their finger out , its down to them kids r wild
the goverment needs to get their finger out , its down to them kids r wild katey h

9:22pm Sun 13 Jan 13

mavrick says...

happycyclist wrote:
A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000.
They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi.

There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
I hope they get their comeuppance but I won't hold my breath. A similar thing happened in our area and the insurance companies were quick to increase the premiums. so we were all punished for something we could not control.
[quote][p][bold]happycyclist[/bold] wrote: A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000. They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi. There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.[/p][/quote]I hope they get their comeuppance but I won't hold my breath. A similar thing happened in our area and the insurance companies were quick to increase the premiums. so we were all punished for something we could not control. mavrick

11:38pm Sun 13 Jan 13

window_licker says...

hettylee wrote:
Darwen is getting worse it used to be a nice working class town full of genuine hardworking people , now it's full of dole dossing, junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don't care where or what there offspring are up to so long as there out from under their feet and they now where their next cold one is coming from .... Sorry rant over
sounds like all of Lancashire in the bud...ties in nicley with the event f migration!
[quote][p][bold]hettylee[/bold] wrote: Darwen is getting worse it used to be a nice working class town full of genuine hardworking people , now it's full of dole dossing, junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don't care where or what there offspring are up to so long as there out from under their feet and they now where their next cold one is coming from .... Sorry rant over[/p][/quote]sounds like all of Lancashire in the bud...ties in nicley with the event f migration! window_licker

6:32am Mon 14 Jan 13

Andy Millar says...

katey h wrote:
the goverment needs to get their finger out , its down to them kids r wild
Give me a break! Why is it the goverment's fault that these mindless morons have done this. People need to be accountable and stop passing the buck.
[quote][p][bold]katey h[/bold] wrote: the goverment needs to get their finger out , its down to them kids r wild[/p][/quote]Give me a break! Why is it the goverment's fault that these mindless morons have done this. People need to be accountable and stop passing the buck. Andy Millar

8:02am Mon 14 Jan 13

hunter3062 says...

what came first the chicken or the egg????? now its what comes first the police or your kebab..its the rise and fall scenario, the rise in crime and the fall of frontline policing..it used tobe a tv programme now its reality you guessed it the magic no 101...
what came first the chicken or the egg????? now its what comes first the police or your kebab..its the rise and fall scenario, the rise in crime and the fall of frontline policing..it used tobe a tv programme now its reality you guessed it the magic no 101... hunter3062

10:14am Mon 14 Jan 13

vicn1956 says...

One correspondent almost excused the darlings putting graffiti on the tower.
Does this approach to criminal damage lead later to damaging cars?
Just asking!
One correspondent almost excused the darlings putting graffiti on the tower. Does this approach to criminal damage lead later to damaging cars? Just asking! vicn1956

4:33pm Mon 14 Jan 13

8 Ball Deluxe says...

Rimbus wrote:
ChairOnMyHead wrote:
If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat


ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
My own preference would be Taser until they wet themselves
[quote][p][bold]Rimbus[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]ChairOnMyHead[/bold] wrote: If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.[/p][/quote]Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.[/p][/quote]My own preference would be Taser until they wet themselves 8 Ball Deluxe

12:53pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Hendog says...

Why can't a postponed payment included interest be given to anybody under criminal age?
If you inflict criminal damage and are found guilty but are under-aged then the bill should be settled by government funds but paid-back with interest by future earnings when they are of age to undoubtedly claim.

Some of the above could do with ironing out but the basis for a bit justice is at least there.
Why can't a postponed payment included interest be given to anybody under criminal age? If you inflict criminal damage and are found guilty but are under-aged then the bill should be settled by government funds but paid-back with interest by future earnings when they are of age to undoubtedly claim. Some of the above could do with ironing out but the basis for a bit justice is at least there. Hendog

1:30pm Tue 15 Jan 13

johndarwen says...

louderfasterlonger wrote:
hi everyone wrote:
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves !
I will let my kid smash your car then tell you "he is only expressing himself"
Find out who did it then smash their toys or mobile phone, see who likes it then.
Age should not matter and at that time of night YOUR kids should be home in bed....
[quote][p][bold]louderfasterlonger[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]hi everyone[/bold] wrote: what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in[/p][/quote]Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves ![/p][/quote]I will let my kid smash your car then tell you "he is only expressing himself" Find out who did it then smash their toys or mobile phone, see who likes it then. Age should not matter and at that time of night YOUR kids should be home in bed.... johndarwen

10:03am Wed 16 Jan 13

jasperjane27 says...

happycyclist wrote:
A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000. They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi. There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
Yeah you probably bang on with your estimate of £20,000. My car was damaged last week by these two and my estimate for my damage is £1.600.
Now my insurance will go up.
[quote][p][bold]happycyclist[/bold] wrote: A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000. They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi. There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.[/p][/quote]Yeah you probably bang on with your estimate of £20,000. My car was damaged last week by these two and my estimate for my damage is £1.600. Now my insurance will go up. jasperjane27

10:03pm Sun 20 Jan 13

YNWAJFT96 says...

St James estate has got a bad enough reputation without idiots from other areas coming in and trashing cars etc. They should make them apologise in person to every single victim, you never know it might just knock some sense into them and serve as a deterrent to others.
St James estate has got a bad enough reputation without idiots from other areas coming in and trashing cars etc. They should make them apologise in person to every single victim, you never know it might just knock some sense into them and serve as a deterrent to others. YNWAJFT96

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