AN area of Evesham is being targeted by vandals and thieves.

Hampton has been hit by a spate of car vandalism since last November and has also been the scene of burglaries being looked into as part of a larger investigation.

Evesham police are now asking for members of the public to lend a hand to catch the criminals.

Evesham police officer Phil Stayte said: “Hampton has been the site of a lot of criminal activity in the last few months.

“The first is car vandalism.

After extensive research there is no pattern between the incidents. We have tried overt and covert patrols. We are asking people to be on the guard.

“I think when this person is caught it will be somebody local who sees something suspicious and calls it into the police.”

The majority of the attacks have seen an ‘X’ scratched into the paintwork of cars, but local people say headlights and windscreens have also been smashed. Temporary CCTV was installed in the area but when an incident took place the camera did not capture it. Wychavon District Council said this could be due to the weather or a temporary glitch but confirmed the camera was back in place and is checked twice a week.

Sally Taylor, of Pershore Road, Hampton, first alerted the Journal to the vandalism in November. She said: “The last one was two weeks ago.

People are sick and tired of it. We feel let down.”

PC Stayte also warned residents living in the Hampton, Broadway, Drakes Broughton and Pershore areas of Worcestershire to be on the look-out for burglars.

The most recent two thefts being linked to Operation Watch happened in Wickhamford between January 3 and 4 and January 5 and 6.

“The burglaries are taking place in the early evening,” said PC Stayte. “It is opportunist people breaking in. We have been issuing light timers to indicate someone is in the house.”

Anyone with information should call non-emergency number 101.