CHINGFORD: Vandals leave trail of destruction (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

CHINGFORD: Vandals leave trail of destruction

5:27pm Monday 27th October 2008 in

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VANDALS ran amok in a Chingford street, leaving businesses with a massive repair bill.

Furious traders are demanding action after being forced to fork out at a time of economic uncertainty.

The yobs smashed windows at children's clothing shop Little Characters, Somerfield, Roselins estate agent, Lazer Windows and Colonial Kitchens and Bathrooms, all in Station Road, during a rampage that started on Friday night and carried on until the early hours of Saturday morning.

Iain Duncan Smith, MP for Chingford, said: "I have called for CCTV cameras to be put up in Station Road before. We need it urgently.

"This yobbish behaviour must be stopped not only because of the cost to local businesses and property owners but because we want to feel safe on our streets."

Caroline Kyprian, 48, part-owner of Little Characters said: "My shop has only been open for five weeks and now I've had my windows smashed.

"It's awful. I thought this was a decent area. I'm surprised CCTV has not been put up already.

"A man was killed outside the chicken shop and a woman was attacked outside the shop called Scandalous."

She added the windows of her shop were smashed at around 3am on Saturday and would cost £1,600 to repair.

A shop owner who did not want to be named said: "There should be more police on the streets and CCTV cameras would help to bring crime in the area down."

Samina Javed, 41, Somerfield trading manager, said the retailer is considering buying shutters and cameras for the store entrance after vandals smashed a window on Friday evening and then damaged the store's door on Saturday.

James Salmon, estate agent at Roselins, said: "We have only been here seven months so its really annoying. It's not the image we want to present to people.

"It is not a good time for estate agents with the way economy is going so when some moron smashes our windows it is an expense I could do without."

Yobs caused £10,000 worth of damage after smashing the windows of Gracious Living Bathroom and Fireplace in Larkshall Road, Highams Park, in May last year.