This is the shocking moment a mindless vandal attacked a van with a baseball bat during a spate of street attacks, writing off a van and leaving neighbours scared for their safety.
73-year-old Graham Barton, of Dales View Road, Ipswich was woken in the night by a baseball bat shattering his vehicle’s windscreen.
The incident at 11.20pm on Sunday, September 23 is believed to be one of 14 vandalism attacks between 11.15pm that night and the early hours of Monday, September 24 in the north of the town.
Police received a number of reports that offenders were leaning out of a car window, using a baseball bat to damage parked cars along Dumbarton Road, Sidegate Lane, Dales View Road, Rushmere Road and Humber Doucy Lane.
Mr Barton’s CCTV shows the vandal deliberately striking his windscreen three times with a baseball bat and knocking off his wing mirror in Dales View Road.
The offender appears to be wearing a grey hooded jumper and travelling in a silver estate vehicle.
“I was in a great deal of shock and it was really scary,” said Mr Barton, who is semi-retired and owns a leading electrician company in Ipswich.
“The town is getting so violent now, and with gangs on either side of Ipswich. You just don’t know what’s going to happen.
“The van damaged is my only company vehicle so now I’ve had to insure my personal car for upcoming jobs. I will also have to hire scaffolding which is really expensive, having a huge effect on my business.”
“We have had numerous thefts over the years and just three months ago vandals launched eggs at our property, but this incident has really scared my family.”
Police arrived around 12.30am on Monday, September 24 to go through the CCTV footage with Mr Barton.
Officers are currently investigating the attack.
Another of the victims was Ginny Long, who had her car’s wing mirror smashed by the vandals.
With a newborn baby in tow, she said the cost of repairs could pile extra stress on her family.
Witnesses or anybody with relevant dash-cam footage or any other information relating to the incidents are asked to call police on 101 quoting reference 37/54844/18. Alternatively, please contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If you saw what happened on Sunday night, or your car was also vandalised during the late night attack, please get in contact by email.
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