Vandals cause ‘wilful’ damage to coach fleet (From Bournemouth Echo)

Vandals cause ‘wilful’ damage to coach fleet

7:00pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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Around £3,000 of “wilful” damage was caused to eight coaches in a determined attack at a depot in Poole.

Vandals struck at Roadliner on the Nuffield Estate, overnight on Tuesday, using a vehicle to drag a hole in the 8ft high iron fencing to target the £1.8m fleet of vehicles.

A company driver arriving at 5.15am yesterday was shocked to discover damage to the coaches, including smashed wing mirrors and mangled windscreen wipers.

One vehicle seemed to have been particularly targeted with the public address system also ripped out of it.

Mark Self, managing director of the Poole-based company, said they were having to make running repairs throughout the day, taking vehicles off the road to do so.

“We luckily managed to codge together a service,” he said. “A couple ran late because of it and people were missed. It’s most frustrating.”

He said the security systems at the depot were “very robust” but the damaged vehicles were those furthest away from the CCTV cameras.

“So much care and pride is taken with them by all the staff here, that’s what’s frustrating, the wilful vandalism,” he said.

“My vehicles were beautiful. It was a crying shame to see them all damaged at the front,” he added.

Dorset Police has confirmed the damage to the eight coaches was reported to them around 6am yesterday.

“We would appeal for anyone who witnessed any criminal damage or any suspicious activity in and around the area overnight to contact us,” said a spokesman.

Anyone with information should contact Dorset Police on 01202 222222 or free and anonymous Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.