Sixteen cars damaged in Darwen hammer rampage
11:00am Sunday 13th January 2013 in News
CARS were damaged after a group of youths went on the rampage with a hammer.
Sixteen cars in the St James area of the town had their windows smashed and bonnets damaged in the spate of attacks.
It is believed the vandalism happened at some point on Tuesday night.
Sgt Dave Sherrington from Darwen neighbourhood policing team said: “It would appear someone has walked down the road with a hammer just hitting car windows and bonnets.
“There has been a lot of expensive damage done to the cars.
“We need people to come forward because it can be difficult to get a result in these type of cases as more often than not there is little evidence.”
It came on the back of a number of wing mirrors, including that of Sudell councillor Roy Davies, being knocked off in Olive Lane on Christmas Eve.
Coun Davies said: “There were about eight knocked off that night, so I don’t know if it is the same people or not.
“It makes you wonder about the mentality of some people.
“They seem to think it is a blameless crime and they can just go out and wreak havoc.
“I just can’t weigh it up. Damage to cars used to happen on a Saturday or Sunday night when people were coming out of the pub.
“An annoying aspect is that people won’t report it to the police.
“Each individual incident may only be worth a few quid, but together - and if the incidents are linked - it is a good £2,000 or £3,000 of damage that has been done.”
Town council mayor and Sudell councillor Eileen Entwistle said: “It is dreadful. Cars are people’s livelihoods.
“It is just mindless and they should be made to pay for the damage, or if they are too young the parents should have to pay.
* Two juveniles have been arrested and released on police bail.
Comments(27)
Info-warrior
says...
11:42am Sun 13 Jan 13
hi everyone
says...
12:34pm Sun 13 Jan 13
dg666
says...
12:48pm Sun 13 Jan 13
hi everyone wrote:Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!!
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
steve18gls
says...
1:01pm Sun 13 Jan 13
dg666 wrote:Well said !
hi everyone wrote:Agreed, but the kids should be made to pay via community service, don't just give them a ticking off as that's all that seems to happen. Make them pay back financially for the damage and if they can't then they work cleaning the streets or parks until they pay it back that way. Let's get some pride back in this once wonderful country, it is not too late!!!
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
hettylee
says...
1:03pm Sun 13 Jan 13
Panther33
says...
3:01pm Sun 13 Jan 13
hi everyone wrote:My Parents showed me how to spell correctly.
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
louderfasterlonger
says...
3:26pm Sun 13 Jan 13
hi everyone wrote:Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves !
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Elsie C
says...
3:55pm Sun 13 Jan 13
Panther33 wrote:Ha.... love it,
hi everyone wrote:My Parents showed me how to spell correctly.
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
ChairOnMyHead
says...
4:07pm Sun 13 Jan 13
ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
Rimbus
says...
4:47pm Sun 13 Jan 13
ChairOnMyHead wrote:Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat
ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
ChairOnMyHead
says...
5:02pm Sun 13 Jan 13
over-rovers
says...
5:41pm Sun 13 Jan 13
Rimbus wrote:why?
ChairOnMyHead wrote: If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night. Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
pwitch
says...
6:27pm Sun 13 Jan 13
ChairOnMyHead
says...
6:58pm Sun 13 Jan 13
pwitch wrote:Liking it! I had my car vandalised a few years back and it caused all sorts of problems. Time off work to get it fixed, increased insurance payments and feeling absolute anger at whoever did it.
Time for more CCTV then to put them off this type of behaviour - bring back the birch.
These thugs obviously have nothing of their own that is worth anything, and that includes a life.
happycyclist
says...
7:31pm Sun 13 Jan 13
They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi.
There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
katey h
says...
7:50pm Sun 13 Jan 13
mavrick
says...
9:22pm Sun 13 Jan 13
happycyclist wrote:I hope they get their comeuppance but I won't hold my breath. A similar thing happened in our area and the insurance companies were quick to increase the premiums. so we were all punished for something we could not control.
A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000.
They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi.
There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
window_licker
says...
11:38pm Sun 13 Jan 13
hettylee wrote:sounds like all of Lancashire in the bud...ties in nicley with the event f migration!
Darwen is getting worse it used to be a nice working class town full of genuine hardworking people , now it's full of dole dossing, junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don't care where or what there offspring are up to so long as there out from under their feet and they now where their next cold one is coming from .... Sorry rant over
Andy Millar
says...
6:32am Mon 14 Jan 13
katey h wrote:Give me a break! Why is it the goverment's fault that these mindless morons have done this. People need to be accountable and stop passing the buck.
the goverment needs to get their finger out , its down to them kids r wild
hunter3062
says...
8:02am Mon 14 Jan 13
vicn1956
says...
10:14am Mon 14 Jan 13
Does this approach to criminal damage lead later to damaging cars?
Just asking!
8 Ball Deluxe
says...
4:33pm Mon 14 Jan 13
Rimbus wrote:My own preference would be Taser until they wet themselves
ChairOnMyHead wrote:Execution seems a tad extreme for smashing up a few cars.
If these "juveniles" had been doing something constructive during the day, e.g. work/training/educat
ion, they would be too tired to break the law at night.
Bring back capital punishment. They need a deterrent other than a warning which means nothing.
Hendog
says...
12:53pm Tue 15 Jan 13
If you inflict criminal damage and are found guilty but are under-aged then the bill should be settled by government funds but paid-back with interest by future earnings when they are of age to undoubtedly claim.
Some of the above could do with ironing out but the basis for a bit justice is at least there.
johndarwen
says...
1:30pm Tue 15 Jan 13
louderfasterlonger wrote:I will let my kid smash your car then tell you "he is only expressing himself"
hi everyone wrote:Thats okay then Bless them, they're only going off the rails a bit. Kids should be allowed to express themselves !
what have the parants got to go with it mine brought me up the right way but I went off the rails years ago and it was nothing to do with them it was peer presure did your parants know what you was up to when you was a kid ,and just tell me in this day and age what can parants do ? nothing due to this nanny state we now live in
Find out who did it then smash their toys or mobile phone, see who likes it then.
Age should not matter and at that time of night YOUR kids should be home in bed....
jasperjane27
says...
10:03am Wed 16 Jan 13
happycyclist wrote:Yeah you probably bang on with your estimate of £20,000. My car was damaged last week by these two and my estimate for my damage is £1.600.
A couple of p*ssed-up 15-year olds. Went to a party, one came out with a hammer, and they decided to trash some cars. Councillor Davies is way out in his estimate of the damage caused -it is more likely in the region of £20,000. They were caught at the scene due to someone ringing the police and a quick police response. They were caught sat on a wall waiting for a taxi. There comes a time when you have to stop blaming the parents. They should pay every penny back eventually -either from their life on benefits or if and when they ever get jobs.
Now my insurance will go up.
YNWAJFT96
says...
10:03pm Sun 20 Jan 13
louderfasterlonger says...
11:41am Sun 13 Jan 13