Thieves smash windows of 11 cars in 'mindless rampage' in Burslem and Tunstall
POLICE are hunting thieves who smashed the windows of 11 cars to steal keys, cash and clothes.
The gang struck over two nights across Burslem and Tunstall.
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Vehicles parked in Longshaw Street, Westport Lake Road, Scott Lidgett Road, America Street, Madison Street and Hawes Street were targeted by the raiders.
They also escaped with a sat nav, documents, a bag and power tools during the raids on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
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Three of the cars were parked at Tunstall Workingmen's Reform Club, in Madison Street.
Club secretary Anthony Hancock, said: "It must have happened between 8pm and 9.30pm on Thursday.
"Every single car had its side windows smashed.
"We didn't see who it was but everyone reported the break-ins to the police."
Stacey Hargreaves, aged 32, of Coolidge Street, had the passenger window of her car smashed after parking it in America Street.
She said: "It was a horrible thing to happen, and all they seem to have taken is one CD. It just seems ridiculous to me.
"One of my neighbours spotted someone smashing the windows of cars on the road.
"They came and knocked on my door but it was about 11.20pm and I was in bed.
"I've been told since that the person didn't even run off afterwards and just kept smashing windows."
Karen Jones, aged 55, of Hoover Street, said her daughter Nikki's Peugeot 107 was also targeted.
She said: "They took a handful of CDs and her keys and caused about £130 damage. There was glass everywhere.
"Several of my neighbours had their cars done too. It's childish and mindless."
Police are appealing for witnesses and are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and studying CCTV footage from the streets.
Sergeant Paul Clarke, from Stoke-on-Trent North Local Policing Team, said: "We would like to hear from anyone with information about these incidents, or who can provide the names of those who may be responsible.
"Having your vehicle broken into, or damaged, causes distress to the victim and a great deal of inconvenience while the car is repaired.
"I would also like to remind motorists to securely lock their vehicle and not to leave items on display."
Anyone with information about the break-ins should call PC Jamie Burton on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
The thefts come days after around 20 motorists on Tunstall's Hoskins estates had their tyres slashed as vandals went on the rampage.
9 Comments
by asif1979
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 10:56AM
“typical night in tunstall.i blame inter breeding.the amount of mindless drones who wonder the street aimlessly is mind boggling.”
by asif1979
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 10:56AM
“typical night in tunstall.i blame inter breeding.”
by Robnoxious
Monday, March 18 2013, 5:34PM
“Hmmm, let me see, who was it very recently from the labour councillors, who were telling us in this very paper, telling us what a good place to live Tunstall was. How the reporting of anti-social behaviour had gone down 35% , Until we find out people are giving up. So much for these open days we keep reading about in the paper. Tunstall one week, Burslem the next, and what does it prove. The same ones trying to keep a high profile in their wards, trying to be seeing to be doing something. More like desperate, in the hope of future votes. But again being fed the rubbish, hence the skips they supplied. I wonder how this will get fed into the system, one separate incident or one for every car. I'm just surprised the cctv was on, or so they tell us. The only traps these people know about is the clap trap they come out with.”
by Churros35
Monday, March 18 2013, 3:46PM
“Why have keys locked in your car???”
by hemmo2008
Monday, March 18 2013, 3:25PM
“the police dare not go through tunstall or burslem walking but they go through very fast in there noddy cars”
by WebMonkey1
Monday, March 18 2013, 2:55PM
“Yes RJB10, and figure out how the electric motor works, and how to get the sealed door unit off. Easy init? No it's not, and that's why people get charged for it. Beside, doesn't make it ok does it!”
by RJB10
Monday, March 18 2013, 12:03PM
“£130 for a peugeot window with fitting is outrageous so i suggest a trip to a scrap yard where a peice of glass is between £10-£30 and im sure a able relative or neighbour could easily fit it for you for free or £15.Wake up people!”
by WebMonkey1
Monday, March 18 2013, 12:00PM
“The Police were probably down the Hoskins estate. They're stretched thin as it. These scum need real sentences, and then banishment from the area.”
by Packmovaliant
Monday, March 18 2013, 11:13AM
“Where are the police patrols in the neighboured like they said that we would have more of?what the police will do now is advertise through the Sentinel that there stepping up patrols in the area thus warning the scum who'll move on to another area.”