THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage was caused to people s cars last week as a spate of vandalism hit the town. Paintwork was scratched, tyres were slashed and aerials were stolen in a number of incidents focused around Saffron Walden and Newport. Insp

THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage was caused to people's cars last week as a spate of vandalism hit the town.

Paintwork was scratched, tyres were slashed and aerials were stolen in a number of incidents focused around Saffron Walden and Newport.

Insp Kevin Wakefield of Saffron Walden Police Station said: "We do go through phases of vandalism and at the moment it seems to be centred on the town.

"Although we do not believe that all of these incidents are linked we do keep an open mind and actively patrol the areas where it appears to be happening."

A black Jaguar parked on Cherry Garden Lane, Newport, was targeted twice on consecutive nights causing about �300 worth of damage. The car had two of its tyres slashed overnight last Wednesday and a further tyre was slashed overnight on Thursday.

A blue Jeep Cherokee parked on Winstanley Road, Saffron Walden, had two tyres slashed causing �400 worth of damage overnight last Thursday. And two cars in the town, a Ford Fiesta parked on Ashdon Road and a Volkswagen Sharan on Station Road, were scratched causing a total of �1000 worth of damage last Wednesday.

In Newport, �500 worth of damage was caused to a Volkswagen Lupo parked on Chalk Farm Lane when it was scratched last Tuesday. And an areal was stolen from a green Mazda in Barnard Close overnight last Monday.

"We would certainly advise people keep their vehicles secured in a garage if they have one, or to use security lighting," said Insp Wakefield.

"Unfortunately a lot of these incidents happen when people are drunk and on the way home from the pub. If you can park your car on a driveway rather than on the road it will make it less vulnerable."

Anyone with information about vandalism to vehicles should contact Saffron Walden Police Station on 0300 333 4444.