9:56am Wednesday 4th January 2006
By Lyndsay Scanlan
VANDALS trashed 13 cars after they went on the rampage in Rodbourne on New Year's Eve.
The vehicles were parked on Morris Street when they were attacked.
They were left with dents and scratches with the wing mirrors hanging off after a group went on a wrecking spree at about 1.30am.
And in West Swindon residents say they are fed up with yobs' behaviour.
In Toothill, a resident in Affleck Close says he is too scared to leave his home as gangs regularly smash up cars and shout abuse at people.
Gary Lawton, 36, who has lived in Morris Street for two years, wants the yobs to think about the damage they have caused. "After all the New Year celebrations had died down, we were witness to another sound the noise of some mindless group of what I can only describe as inconsiderate thugs.
"I went outside to see what had happened and then heard more noise.
"I counted 13 cars with criminal damage, from broken wing mirrors to dents in the doors.
"When I looked at the cars another group of kids who had been to a party had put a note on the side of one of the cars to say they saw a group of young people running off."
Mr Lawton, who works at Honda, added: "What sort of person would even think of doing this kind of thing?
"My car was parked opposite my house but on the other side of the road and was not damaged but the people whose cars have been wrecked have got to pick up the bill.
"Some of them have said they don't want to prosecute because they think it will make the problems worse.
"Perhaps when these individuals eventually grow up and have to pay for their own car's upkeep they might think twice of this mindless damage to other people's property."
Nick Buckle, whose car was attacked said: "It feels pretty bad to have your car damaged just because someone has taken a dislike to it.
"We've been talking about it a lot and said that if people are stealing to live then, while it is not acceptable, you can kind of understand it, but it is frustrating when it is a pointless act such as this."
In Toothill, a 57-year-old resident of Affleck Close, who asked not to be named, says car tyres are being slashed, windscreens smashed and children as young as eight are terrorising people living there.
He said: "I am frightened to leave my front door in the evening.
"A lot of residents that I have spoken to are also fed up with it, so fed up that I am frightened that they will form some sort of group to stop this themselves.
"We need help to sort the area out."
Coun Steve Wakefield (Con, Toothill) said he is working to tackle the problems in Toothill but said he needed more police support.
"The residents have my full sympathy and the council is putting resources into this area but people want to see the police here," he said.
Supt Richard Rowland, of Swindon police, said: "We do take anti-social behaviour seriously and if there is something more we should be doing we are prepared to look at it.
"But unfortunately there are a lot of people who are plagued by groups in the town and we can only do so much."
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