VANDALS slashed the tyres of three vans and smashed the windscreens using concrete blocks.

Residents in Bulkington Avenue, Worthing, were shocked to wake up to the smashed Ford Transit vans yesterday morning

Mick Symes said his brother, Sean Symes, was horrified to find his vans vandalised when he checked on them in Bulkington Avenue yesterday morning.

Mr Symes, 67, of Teville Road, Worthing, said: “Yesterday morning about 8am my brother went to pick up one of the vans to bring down to the shop. But he discovered to his horror all three vans had been vandalised.”

The three vans were parked along Bulkington Avenue, only metres from where Sean Symes lives.

The pair, who use the vans for his Sean’s waste disposal business, said they did not know why they had been targeted.

He said: “We are keeping an open mind.

“We have suffered from vandalism in the past. “In the last 27 years we have had 30 tyres damaged and had mirrors broken, but normally other vehicles in the road had been done. “In this particular case we checked the road and no other vehicles appeared to be tampered with.

“None of the residents on the road appeared to have heard anything.”

The pair said the vans are regularly moved and cleaned and parked inconspicuously not to annoy residents on the road. They estimate the damage will cost them £1,000, even though the vehicles are insured, due to excess for the window screens and the cost of 12 new tyres.

Another resident on a nearby street, who did not want to be named, said he has seen a gang of youths targeting cars on the road. He said: “There’s a group of youths in the area the police already know about. They do this type of thing to a lot of cars.

“They go around about 11pm through to midnight in a group of six and wear all black.

“I once caught them kicking in a person’s wing mirror and I called police, however they did a runner. Now I am in fear that they are going to target my car in the future, I always thought Worthing was safe until now.”

The brothers have offered a £500 reward to anyone who gives information to the police leading to a successful conviction. 

A Sussex Police spokeswoman: "Three vehicles were reported having been damaged in Bulkington Avenue in Worthing on Thursday October 5. The vehicles had their tyres slashed and windscreens smashed.

"Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to contact police online or call 101 quoting serial 238 of 5/10."