POLICE are appealing for information to help catch vandals who have scrawled tags on buildings in the Kingshill and Eastcott areas.

Graffiti has been daubed on various properties in the area, including on 40ft-high chimney stacks at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

The damage inflicted on the museum in Old Town last month is being linked to a spate of vandalism in the surrounding areas.

Sgt Barry Reed, of the town centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “Over a period of three weeks we have been inundated with reports of tagging within the Kingshill and Eastcott area.

“Much of this tagging has taken place late at night and has appeared on garage doors and house walls. It has caused the owners of the property a huge amount of distress.

“Not only is it defacing and damaging their property, but it devalues the area making it appear untidy and unpleasant for the community.

“The residents should not have to live in fear of their property being damaged by mindless vandalism."

One of the tags, ‘ACE’, was sprayed onto the museum’s chimney stacks.

Sgt Reed said: "We are appealing for information that will lead to the apprehension of the suspects, namely the suspects using tags of ‘ACE’, ‘NEVS’ and ‘CROP’.

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners at Swindon Crime Safety Partnership and Swindon Borough Council with the prevention and detection of offences.

“The persons who are responsible are committing criminal damage, an offence which can carry a custodial sentence upon conviction.”

Swindon Council is also involved in the bid to tackle the graffiti with patrols and clean-up work.

The authority is also working with the police to identify the culprits and installing CCTV.

PC Jansen Carter, of the town centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “We are running pro-active patrols in order to try and combat the recent increase in grafitti in the area.

“We are also encouraging members of the public who are aware of someone doing this to let us know. We have different ways of dealing with these offences.

“The more time and money we have to spend pursuing the culprits, the harsher we are going to be when we catch them.”

Anyone with information which can help the police is asked to call the non-emergency 101 number.