Windscreens smashed in car havoc

The wreckers left a trail of destruction among vehicles parked in eight roads in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Yesterday after a day in which owner after distressed owner contacted police, PC Roy Warren of the Neighbourhood Policing Team was collating a fast-growing photo-file cataloguing the damage.

Now he is appealing for witnesses. He is asking for anyone with information to contact him immediately at Bexhill police station on 0845 6070999, quoting serial 39 on January 12.

Screens were smashed and car bodywork stamped over in High Street, Church Street, St Peter's Crescent, Springfield Road, Holliers Hill, Ninfield Road, Bank Road and Sidley Street.

In Church Street alone, a Citroen, a Renault, a Nissan and a Vauxhall were attacked. In St Peter's Crescent a Mercedes was damaged; in Springfield Road a Proton.

PC Warren said: "There are currently at least a dozen vehicles affected. I am trying to trace the owners of some for details.

"All have had their screens smashed with something. There are footprints over the bonnets, boots and roofs where they have run over the cars.

"I would guess that all this happened at between 1am and 2am.

"We don't know yet what the total value of the damage is but it must run into thousands of pounds."

Motor industry sources say the average cost of a replacement windscreen is 200.