UNDERCOVER police are patrolling the streets of a Bournemouth suburb in a bid to catch a gang of vandals suspected of destroying two walls.

Yobs are believed to be responsible for pushing over a 6-foot tall by 12-foot long brick wall, at a private car park in Shillingstone Drive, opposite Muscliff Community Centre, and a six-foot by 24-foot long wall at another residential car park in Blackfield Road.

The police has now stepped up patrols in the area and deployed plainclothes officers. The police also plan to hold consultation with affected residents to find out if they want to rebuild the walls.

“I have been inundated with emails from residents,” ward councillor Ron Whittaker said. “There’s bricks and debris all over the place, it’s a real mess.

“The people who did this are obviously brainless and they need help. Whoever did this should be put away and the keys thrown away.

“When I first saw the damage I thought a truck had hit it. The walls and even the piers that support it have just been knocked down. We’ve never had any problems like this here before. These people are a plague on the area and I’m now appealing to residents to come together and find out who the culprits are. Someone must know who did this.”

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Officers are aware of this issue. Police have conducted additional patrols in the areas affected at the times these issues have been reported.”

Cllr Whittaker complained that one of the greatest problems facing affected residents is who is going to foot the cost of repairing the damage, which is expected to run into the tens of thousands.

He revealed that because the walls are privately owned Bournemouth Borough Council is not obliged to help repair them so residents may have to fix the problem themselves.