Police in hunt for £500k car vandals

DETECTIVES have launched a manhunt after more than £500,000 worth of cars were vandalised in Dundee over the space of a few hours.

Vandals carried out two separate attacks that left a total of 36 cars damaged with repair bills running into tens of thousands of pounds.

The attacks took place in two parts of the city late on Friday and into the early hours of yesterday, according to Tayside Police.

A force spokesman said: "During Friday evening, 27 cars parked in Birkdale Place, Dundee, were damaged. They had been scratched with a sharp object, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

"During the early hours of Saturday morning, a second series of vandalisms occurred, with nine cars in Windsor Street, Windsor Place and Magdalen Yard, Dundee having wing mirrors broken off."

Investigating officer Chief Inspector Suzie Mertes said: "This sort of mindless damage to people's property will not be tolerated. Coming just before Christmas - a time when repairs to vehicles can be ill afforded - it is particularly galling for car owners to wake up to this sort of idiocy.

"We appeal to the public to help us track down those responsible so they can be held to account for their actions."

Councillor Ian Borthwick, the local councillor for the Birkdale area, said: "At a time when people are struggling with the weather, and so many decent people are helping and supporting each other, to have mindless individuals damaging property like this is deplorable.

"I would urge the public who may have seen something or anyone who knows the identity of the perpetrators to phone the police."