Many car, van and fleet owners in the Torquay area have been left angry and out-of-pocket recently as a result of a spate of tyre slashing, with some of the victims saying it is not worth claiming for on their car or van insurance.
A local funeral director said that four of the commercial vehicles from his fleet had been affected. "There have been some yobbos up here doing this. The police have been called - but no one knows who is responsible," he said.
He said that although the damage to his vehicles had cost him hundreds of pounds, an acquaintance of his had been even more badly hit. "I know one person whose vehicle has been targeted three times with all four tyres being damaged. It's cost him £1,500 so far," he said.
There have even been reports of motor and van insurance companies receiving tyre-slashing claims from customers just outside the Torquay area.
One 90-year-old victim expressed his anger, saying, "People need to know the lowlife have crept from beneath their stones and are again causing havoc to parked cars in the area."
"All four of my tyres were punctured by an individual who has not stopped to think of the consequences of his actions — although one assumes he has the necessary brain to do any thinking."
Another victim commented, "It's such a nuisance... I suppose I got off quite lightly with just two tyres being slashed."
He also said that the risk of losing his no claims bonus prevented him from making a claim on his van insurance policy. "It's not worth claiming off insurance," he said.