TWO youths have been convicted for a graffiti rampage in one of the borough's busiest shopping streets, in which they caused £32,000 worth of damage to dozens of shop windows.

In the evening of September 28 last year, the pair – who cannot be identified because of their age – scored the tags 'ages34' and 'weaz' into the glass shopfronts of businesses in George Lane, South Woodford.

Members of the Church End Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT) established the route taken by the youths before checking CCTV footage from the area's cameras.

Still images and recordings were then circulated to police officers in Redbridge and neighbouring boroughs, before the two were identified and arrested.

During a lengthy investigation, officers took 82 photographs of damage to 29 properties, as well taking statements from all the properties' owners.

The first youth, 17, appeared at Redbridge Youth Court on December 15 last year and pleaded guilty to one specimen charge of criminal damage. He also asked for 13 similar offence to be taken into consideration and was sentenced to a six-month referral order.

The second, also 17, appeared at the same court on March 12, where he pleaded guilty to 23 charges of criminal damage. He has yet to be sentenced.

Police have not released information on where the two youths live but have confirmed they are from outside the Church End ward.

Sergeant David Somerville, of Church End SNT, said: “As far as we can tell it was done to any shop that didn't have a shutter, as otherwise they would have had to use paint.

“The new CCTV cameras have now gone live, but at the time they weren't in use and that's why the investigation took so long, as we had to literally go door to door to each business and check their own CCTV systems.

“I hope this sends a message to others who are contemplating graffiti in the South Woodford area.

“There is plenty of CCTV and coupled with the tenacity of the officers working here you will be caught.”

Javed Iqbal, 48, who works at Dry Cleaning With a Touch of Class, in George Lane, said: "We had some of the scratching done, out on the right-hand side of the window.

"We've not had it repaired yet because it's going to cost us so much money. It's going to cost maybe £1,000 or even £1,5000 to repair, but we'll have to by a whole new piece of glass."

David Dillane, 60, runs David Anthony's Shoes, also in George Lane. He wasn't targeted by the youths in September but said he regularly notices fresh grafitti in the area.

Mr Dillane said: "There's often new bits of paints on walls above shops, in between shops, and on shop shutters. There's some fresh stuff over the road that I noticed on Monday this week.

"People must walk down the road here at night time and think, 'God, what kind of area is this?', which is a shame.

"It makes the area look really untidy."