Car vandal misery of young Newton Pop dad

A FRUSTRATED Newton Poppleford man claims he is fighting a losing battle against car vandals, who are making his life a misery.

Fed-up Damien Armes, 18, of Turner Close, says his car has been targeted several times in the last year and has had to fork out hundreds of pounds in repair bills.

The trainee butcher, who has a three-month-old-son, has had his car scratched with keys, tyres punctured by nails and front bumper smashed.

Damien said: "I have got a young son and I'm saving up for Christmas, working hard and there's stuff like that you have to pay for.

"My car isn't an expensive one but it's the principle that someone keeps doing it."

He knows of four other Turner Close residents who have had their cars damaged by vandals while parked in the street, including his mum.

Damien, who works in Ottery, added: "It makes me angry when it happens to someone else because I know what its like- it gets you down and really angry. When it happens it feels like you could explode."

The young dad, who has had his car for a year, claims cars parked at the far end of the street are easy targets for the vandals.

Damien said: "There's a path that runs down through the cul-de-sac and the cars have to park in between two street lights so it's quite dark there and people can make a quick getaway.

"The police have said to keep reporting it every time it happens but until someone actually sees the person doing it I don't think it will stop."

CCTV has even been considered by Turner Close residents as a last resort to catch the culprits.

"If they are caught it would put everybody's minds at rest and would stop us worrying about leaving our cars at night," added Damien.

A police spokesperson said: "We have had two reported incidents of this nature in Turner Close in the last 12 months. We would urge victims of criminal damage to report it to the police so they can be fully investigated." Ring police with information on 08452 777444 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.