Vandals smash up more than 30 cars in nights of mayhem

More than 30 vehicles were targeted by vandals – with rocks hurled from a bridge at moving traffic in one frightening attack.

Drivers and community groups blamed rampaging youths for the carnage during the school break.

“It was the school holidays and they went wild,” said a 36-year-old mother-of-two whose car was hit with bricks from the West Granton Access bridge in Pilton. “It’s endangering lives and I’ve had a lucky escape,” she added, saying a rock pierced the front bumper of her Renault Clio.

Drivers reported 17 cars being vandalised across West Pilton on a single night, including a community minibus, with windows smashed and wing mirrors kicked off.

An 18-year-old worker at Sainsbury’s, Craigleith Retail Park, returned to her car at night to find £1500 damage, with her windscreen smashed and passenger door kicked in.

“The police told me it was a group of youths who were at a fast-food place because they had them on CCTV,” she said.

“It’s just boredom and happens all the time, but is worse in the holidays. It’s just mindless vandalism and they’re not getting anything from it.”

Another 17 cars were damaged in Craigentinny on Tuesday night, including windscreens smashed along Loganlea Terrace.

“I feel that they should put more cameras and have more vigilance down here,” said a 27-year-old mother-of-two and hospitality supervisor whose Picanto was hit.

A brickie’s labourer had the rear window of his Ford Fiesta smashed with a spade and a 36-year-old cleaner had the windscreen to her Renault Megane stamped in.

Barbara Beaufoy, secretary of community group TRIM and Friends of West Pilton, blamed “nice weather and school holidays” and called for vandals to be caught and dealt with.

“Our residents have suffered this blight on our community long enough,” she said.

Cllr Steve Cardownie, SNP member for Forth, which includes West Pilton, said: “For hard-working people in the area to come out in the morning and find their cars damaged for no reason at all is ludicrous and abhorrent.”

Craigentinny/Duddingston member, Cllr Alex Lunn, has asked police and council officials to investigate the Loganlea cases.

Community Sergeant Gordon Duff said: “Tackling youth-related disorder and vandalism is a priority for us and we continue to focus our patrols to address these issues.

“Anyone found to be involved in crimes of this nature will be robustly dealt with and I would ask anyone with information relating to these offences to contact police immediately.”

SNP MSP Ben Macpherson met with police, the Crown Office and community groups yesterday to discuss antisocial behaviour including joyriding on stolen motorbikes.

“It was abundantly clear in the meeting that everyone wants to emphasise that the majority of young people in the area are not engaging in this activity,” he said.

“They are making positive contributions to their community and this is a credit to all those involved.”

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