Vandals attack two police cars in Shrewsbury disorder
Police cars had their windows smashed in an attack by vandals in Shrewsbury following two nights of disorder in the town.
Officers this morning tweeted a picture of the damage caused to one of two cars in Harlescott last night.
Windows and wing mirrors were smashed on the cars.
Police today said they will not allow a "wild-west situation" to develop after a group of 12 people were involved in disorder over the weekend.
The incidents, which took place over Friday evening and then on Saturday evening in Kynaston Road, Harlescott, in Shrewsbury, saw rocks being thrown and involved youths and adults.
The police cars were damaged on Sunday when officers parked them to go on foot patrol in the area, one with a rear window smashed.
Sergeant Keith Steel said officers are determined to catch the culprits and moved to assure the public that such incidents will not be tolerated.
He also encouraged people to come forward with information about the incidents, and insisted that all communications will be treated in confidence.
He said: "We are not having a wild-west situation here where they have got no respect for the police or the community.
"We have people living up there in a good community and when we get people assaulted, windows damaged, police cars damaged, it is not acceptable.
"We are increasing our patrols in the area to reassure the public, we are working through CCTV footage, the crime reports, witness reports, and hopefully we can get some arrests made and we will process the offenders as we can.
"People must not be afraid to come forward with information, it will be treated in the strictest confidence, but we do need their help to catch the people responsible.
"We do understand why people might be reluctant but it is important so we can find out what happened."
Sgt Steele said that the damage to the police cars meant that two vehicles were now off the road for repairs.
Police are said to be working through CCTV from the area and Sgt Steele had a warning for any young people who have been involved in the disorder.
He said: "There is a bunch of youths who have been hanging round Kynaston Road Youth Club and we are looking at CCTV from the area.
"Those youths, if they want to be treated like children they will be. It is not acceptable in this day and age, it is a nice community up there and it is only a minority who are causing this disturbance."
Police had visited the area on Friday and Saturday night to disperse the groups and handed out dispersal notices last night.
Officers appealed for anyone with information to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting incident number 559S 081017. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org
This news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
