Thieves make off with flagstones
BRAZEN thieves have ripped up valuable flagstones from Accrington pavements.
Footpaths on Avenue Parade, Spencer Street, William Street and Foster Street were among those targeted on the evening of Friday, September 8.
Coun Eamonn Higgins said: “It looks like they have targeted the area around Avenue Parade and some have also gone on Spencer Street as well. I reported it to the police and they said that a lot of the borough had been hit with stone thefts on Friday night so they could be the same gang.
“Somebody has just blatantly lifted the flags from the footpaths. A lot of the borough has been affected in recent months. They now seem to be just digging up the flags and getting anything they can get their hands on. It’s just ridiculous and dangerous.”
Lancashire Police said the stones were stolen from 8pm to 10.30pm.
Dwayne Lowe, the county council’s area highways manager for Hyndburn, said: “One of our engineers will assess these locations and the affected areas will be covered soon after.
“Spencer Street and Avenue Parade were both subject to similar thefts back in April. The Garden Street and Aitken Street area of Accrington was also the subject to similar thefts last year. We ask people to keep their eyes open and alert the police if they see people removing stone flags.”