Missiles thrown at bus windows
Passengers were narrowly missed by missiles after the buses they were travelling on were fired at by yobs, shattering the windows.
No r thu m b r i a Po l i c e i s working to establish whether the double attack involved items being catapulted or fired at the vehicles, but have linked the incidents.
The first happened just before 7pm on Wednesday, involving a number 20 Go North East service on Barnes Park Road, followed by another half-an-hour later in Springwell Road, as a 16 Stagecoach service was targeted.
AnitaArmstrong’shusband Peter was on the number 20 when it came under fire and said: “He’s fine, he was just a bit shaken up. There were two pellets fired at the bus and one hit the first window behind the driver and the second window and he was sitting next to the third, so if there had been a third shot it might have got him.
“Just got a huge shock with the noise and the bus came to an abrupt stop.”
Sergeant Keith Goldsmith said: “An investigation has been launched following two incidents of criminal damage in the Barnes area.
“Thefirsthappened shortly before7pmwhenabuswindow was smashed while it was travelling on Barnes Park Road. We then received a similar report 30minutes later after a second bus had been targeted on Springwell Road.
“On both occasions, a windowhasbeensmashedafteran unknown object is believed to have been thrown, catapulted or fired at it.
"Thankfully,nobodywasinjured in either incident, which we are treating as linked. This type of mindless behaviour is totally unacceptable and incredibly dangerous.
"A full investigation has been launched and anyone found to have been involved will be dealt with swiftly and robustly.”
A spokesperson for Stagecoach North East said: "We are assisting the police with their inquiriesintothecircumstances after a recent increase in the number of similar incidents in the area."
Stephen King, commercial director at Go North East, said: “In addition to the driver therewerethreepassengerson board the bus at the time and luckily none of them were injured.”
Anyone with information can contact police via the Tell Us Something page of its website or call 101 quoting logs 939 and 998 181120.