A man has been arrested after restaurants in Brighton city centre had their windows smashed in.

A number of restaurants in The Lanes and one in New Road were targeted around 8am by a man smashing windows on Tuesday (April 24).

Police arrested a 25-year-old man of no fixed address on suspicion of criminal damage, after officers located the suspect in a car park in Kings Place.

When The Argus visited Street Thai in Brighton Square in The Lanes almost all of its windows were broken.

Police officers were manning the cordon and investigating the scene as shoppers looked on.

Shoppers had to be redirected through The Lanes.

Donatello Italian restaurant nearby in Brighton Place also had some of its windows smashed.

A shop assistant at Cloud 9 bakery in Brighton Place, who asked not to be named, said: “I got into work at 7am this morning and there was just a police car with no tape up.

“It had already been smashed. I did worry a bit because I couldn’t see our shop and thought what if they have hit our shop as well.

“The police were still there so I knew there was no risk of it happening to us while I was at work.

“It does concern me but it doesn’t happen often.

“I guess it is worrying for businesses in the area but it was such an isolated incident and stuff happens like that everywhere.

“I know other shops have had windows smashed before here.

“I thought at first it might have been a disgruntled ex-employee but I don’t think it was.

“It is a big panel of glass and I think someone was drunk and just decided to smash it in.”

Staff at nearby shops said when they arrived at work this morning they saw the windows had been smashed.

Others said they believed the incident was a targeted attack.

Staff at jewellery shops nearby said that it will have a short term impact on businesses by affecting footfall in the square and that it is worrying that the incident happened so close.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: "A man has been arrested in connection with a number of windows smashing in central Brighton. 

"A 25-year-old man of no fixed address remains in custody after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. 

"At around 8am on Tuesday (April 24) police responded to a call to Brighton Place where a man was smashing windows.

"A number of restaurants in Brighton Place and Brighton Square as well as one in New Road had been damaged.

"Officers located the suspect in a car park in Kings Place."