Towns face spree of vandal attacks (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Towns face spree of vandal attacks

THOUSANDS of pounds of damage has been caused to homes and cars in the north Cotswolds following a spate of vandalism in the past week.

At least 10 incidents have been reported in as many days, with police fearing more cases might yet be uncovered.

The vandals struck in Chipping Campden, Moreton and Bourton.

In Campden overnight last Friday, five separate incidents were reported. A man living in Station Road went to investigate after hearing noises outside his house just after midnight.

He discovered that his Vauxhall Cavalier's rear windscreen had been smashed.

As a result, an 18-year-old Bidford man was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. He was released on police bail until April 9.

Following this, a series of other incidents were reported in the same area, including a Ford Mondeo parked in Calf Lane, which had its sun roof smashed with a traffic cone, a window smashed at the home of a woman in Cidermill Lane, another window smashed at a house in Phoenix Place and a litter bin kicked over and damaged in Station Road.

Other incidents happened in High Street, Moreton overnight on Sunday, February 12, when two cars -a Toyota Yaris and a Renault Megane - both had their bonnets scratched with a sharp implement, causing an estimated £800 worth of damage to each car. Neither attack was reported until last Friday.

A VW Bora parked in the High Street, Bourton was also damaged overnight last Thursday, when its boot was deeply scratched.

At around the same time, a lattice gate in the High Street, Bourton had its panels kicked, causing estimated damage of £150.

A double-glazed window at a house in Roundhouse Mews on the new Blenheim Park estate in Moreton was smashed by vandals, who threw stones from the nearby footpath between the railway station and London Road overnight last Thursday.

Inspector Alastair Stenner, head of the North Cotswold Inspector Neighbourhood Area, said this week that the police would be "robustly investigating" the incidents and appealed to people in the Campden area to come forward with any information that might be of help.

Anyone with information should call Gloucestershire police on 0845 090 1234 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.