Windscreens smashed in yet more vandalism

CARS in a busy Wokingham street were targeted in the latest vandalism attack.

Over the weekend, windscreens and windows were smashed – some residents said that this is part of an ongoing plague of antisocial behaviour that is blighting their street.

And now councillors are calling for an urgent meeting with the police in a bid to stamp out the vandalism.

It is not the only anti-social attack in the past few days: one woman who was innocently shopping in a Wokingham town centre store on Monday when she was targeted by a gang who sprayed her with cream.

Shop staff rushed to help her clean up, but the woman has been left shaken by the ordeal.

THERE are fears the vandalism that struck Wokingham town centre during Christmas may have spread.

A number of cars in Outfield Crescent in Embrook had their windows and windscreens smashed over the weekend.

A number of residents who contacted The Wokingham Paper reported a crowd of teenagers using a broken paving slab to damage the vehicles.

Some locals claimed the incident was a one-off while others said the area has been plagued by anti-social behaviour for some time.

One fed-up resident in Outfield Crescent said: “This has been happening a lot on this street due to the public footpath that leads to the bowling alley. We have trouble every weekend with teenagers fighting in the street late at night.

“There were drug deals going on last Friday before the cars were smashed. Nothing was stolen from these cars just damaged. As residents we are getting fed up and have reported this constantly to the council but nothing has happened. It has been kept under wraps but us residents think this news should be made public to highlight the ASBO behaviour that is happening by the bowling alley.”

Another resident living nearby added: “There is trouble every other weekend, usually caused by groups of young people just wandering around. It is not a nice atmosphere and I dread looking at my car the morning after in case it has been damaged.”

But one local said they had not personally seen much anti-social behaviour or vandalism.

“I’m not saying it is perfectly quiet as it can be a bit rowdy at weekends, but that is common.

“You sometimes see crowds of young people but they might just be going to the bowling alley and not causing any trouble. If there were more police patrols on foot, that would certainly be a deterrent but I don’t reckon there will be much chance of that happening.”

Councillor Philip Mirfin whose ward includes Outfield Crescent said he has asked for an urgent meeting with the police liaison committee.

“I haven’t been contacted about problems in Outfield Crescent although there has been trouble over Christmas in Norreys,” he said.

“I understand people’s concerns. It is important to discover if this was an isolated incident or something caused by a particular group.”