Pensioner, 73, targeted by the wall wreckers
Published Date:
09 October 2008
By Rob Dabrowski
A 73-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of a bizarre crime spree where a gang of yobs is smashing down brick walls at people's homes.
After hitting 21 walls in Fareham earlier this week, a 'hole in the wall gang' is now targeting neighbouring Gosport.
On Tuesday night they ripped down and damaged 11 stone walls in gardens in Bridgemary in just three hours.
Pensioner Gloria West, of the Parkway, Gosport, was one of the victims after the vandals knocked down a 30ft section of her five foot high garden wall.
Mrs West, 73, was asleep when they struck and only realised what had happened when she awoke yesterday morning to see her wall reduced to rubble.
She said: ' I heard a bang and thought something had happened to my car but I didn't see the wall until the morning.
'It frightened me to death.
'I'm just hoping it won't take long to do something about it. People can see straight through to my lounge.
'Whoever these people are they have got parents of their own.
'How would they feel if someone did that to their parents?'
It is believed the gang – which strikes at night – use their bare hand to rip down the walls before fleeing.
Police are hunting them down, but do not know how many yobs are responsible for the damage and as of yet they have no descriptions of the culprits.
The only clue they have is a small dark car that has been spotted speeding away from a number of the incidents.
PC Jon Roper, from the Bridge safer neighbour-hoods team, said: 'We appeal to anyone who was in the area around that time and might have noticed any suspicious activity to contact us as soon as possible.
'The incidents in Gosport are not the first of this kind during the last few days, and we are very keen to find those responsible.
'If you have had your wall damaged in a similar way, please get in touch with your local police station.'
n Anyone who may have witnessed any of these incidents, or has information about the people involved, should contact PC Jon Roper from the Bridge safer neighbourhoods team on 0845 045 45 45 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The full article contains 393 words and appears in The News newspaper.
-
Last Updated:
09 October 2008 11:21 AM
-
Source:
The News
-
Location:
Portsmouth