Yobs' late-night rampage in Southsea wrecks five cars

THUGS have smashed up cars in a mindless rampage which left one vehicle so badly damaged it looked a '˜monster truck had obliterated it'.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Dec 2017, 06:00 BST
Updated 22nd Dec 2017, 09:01 BST
One of the vandalised cars in Avenue de Caen, Southsea Picture: Bronte Shothard.One of the vandalised cars in Avenue de Caen, Southsea Picture: Bronte Shothard.
One of the vandalised cars in Avenue de Caen, Southsea Picture: Bronte Shothard.

Yobs trashed five cars in Avenue de Caen, Southsea, in an overnight spree.

They smashed windows, dented bodywork and ransacked some of the vehicles before fleeing, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

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It’s the latest incident to have taken place in the city, which has left residents worried and demanding action.

A car damaged in the attack by vandalsA car damaged in the attack by vandals
A car damaged in the attack by vandals

Bronte Stothard, 23, of Southsea, was one of the victims of the attack, which caused hundreds of pounds of damage to her blue Fiat 500.

She said she was horrified when she discovered the damage.

‘I couldn’t believe it,’ she said. ‘One of the cars looked like it had been in a monster truck show. It had been completely obliterated.

‘It just seemed too violent and over the top. It was mindless. They had smashed my driver’s side window, yanked the passenger seat forward until it came off its runners

This car had its window smashedThis car had its window smashed
This car had its window smashed
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‘They damaged the bottom of the chassis of the car and took a screwdriver or something to the windscreen.’

Ms Stothard said this hadn’t been the first time the area was hit and she called for more funding for the police.

Councillor Linda Symes represents the ward on Portsmouth City Council.

The culture and leisure chief said she was sickened by the latest attack.

Damage to a car's chassisDamage to a car's chassis
Damage to a car's chassis
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But she was quick to subdue fears that this was an issue that was escalating within the city.

Cllr Symes said: ‘This is just senseless. It’s just mindless crime that spoils people’s weekends and Christmas.’

She felt additional cash being pumped from Whitehall into recruiting more police would have no impact on cutting crime like this.

‘Twenty or 30 years ago I was coming out of a night club and somebody had gone and jumped on the roof of every car,’ she said. ‘This is something that has always happened.

Another of the damaged carsAnother of the damaged cars
Another of the damaged cars
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‘You always seem to get a spike of behaviour like this at this time of year.’

Police are investigating the crime, which took place between Monday and Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire Constabulary said items had been taken from three vehicles.

She said: ‘A dashcam was stolen from a Renault Scenic, a sat-nav was stolen from a Nissan Pixo and a sat-nav was stolen from a Fiat 500.

‘Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact us on 101.’