Seven cars daubed with Hamilton youth gang graffiti

Dec 23 2010 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

MINDLESS vandals caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage when they daubed gang-related graffiti on cars and homes in Hamilton last week.

Seven cars and two homes were targeted during the wrecking spree in the early hours of last Friday morning.

Yobs spraypainted slogans such “LYT #1” – believed to stand for Laighstonehall Young Team – across car windows and bodywork, as well as tagging garage doors and front windows between Hamilton’s Orchard Place, Bent Road and South Park Grove.

Another car was targeted in Graham Street, near to Quarry Street.

The yobs’ wrecking spree was aimed at a Chevrolet Spark, a Toyota Previa, a Seat Altea, a Skoda Octavia, a Volvo C3, a Vauxhall Vectra and a Saab 93.

The vandalism took place between 6.30pm on Thursday, December 16, and 8.15am on Friday, December 17.

A Strathclyde Police spokesman said various parts of the vehicles were damaged, including door panels, passenger windows and windscreens, during the spate of vandalism.

Isobel Hill (51), a resident of Orchard Place whose car and front window were vandalised, described the actions as an “absolute waste”.

As she left for work last Friday morning, the mother discovered that her Volvo C30 had been tagged with the slogan “LYT”, as had the front window of her home.

“When I opened my curtains in the morning, I noticed that someone had painted the window,” she said.

“My heart sank, but as I had to get to work I decided I would deal with it later, perhaps scrape some of the paint off.

“But when I went outside, I saw that the vandals had spraypainted a huge motif across the driver’s side of my car.

“It was then I knew I had to call the police.

“Shortly after that, I found out that a few neighbours had the same problem, and it wasn’t just me who had been victimised. They had also contacted the police.

“A lot of the cars that were damaged were parked off the road, so whoever it was actually walked into gardens to paint the cars.

“I was more than annoyed about it. It is evidence of the sad state our society is in, and I was sickened by it.

“Why would anyone damage people’s property as an outlet? It is an absolute waste.”

Inspector Gillian Scott, of Hamilton Community Policing, this week urged residents who suffer similar problems to report them to police.

“Mindless vandalism and other anti-social behaviour crime can cause untold misery to residents, and it will not be tolerated in Hamilton,” she said.

“I would urge anyone who is affected by such crimes to get in touch with their local community officer.”

Two 16-year-old males have been arrested this week in relation to the incidents last Thursday.

The arrests were made following enquiries into numerous alleged offences, including vandalism and thefts by housebreaking.

A report has been sent to Procurator Fiscal.