VANDALS have been causing havoc in Hadleigh by ripping off badges and stealing aerials from cars it emerged today.Dozens of cars have had either their aerials or logo badges taken during a spate of criminal damage which has left many in the town angry and frustrated.

VANDALS have been causing havoc in Hadleigh by ripping off badges and stealing aerials from cars it emerged today.

Dozens of cars have had either their aerials or logo badges taken during a spate of criminal damage which has left many in the town angry and frustrated.

Ian Fletcher, 50, of Tayler Road, said his two Volkswagen cars had both had their badges stolen in the past few months including one in the recent spree.

He said: “I think its trophy hunting. Kids used to grab them and wear them round their neck on a chain and it could be coming back or someone could be trying to make a bit of money from it.

“It's just very annoying. I'm not very happy about it but what can you do. It does devalue the car but there's no point making a claim on the insurance because the actual badges are worth so little.”

Carol Stuart, 42, who lives on the Beaumont estate where most of the aerials were stolen from, said she was surprised to discover the aerial had been unscrewed from her blue Renault.

She said: “I've just moved from Sunderland where this type of thing is quite common. I didn't think it would happen here. Why would anyone want to steal something like that? There's no damage to the car, it was literally screwed out. It's bizarre.”

Pc Sarah Munnings of Hadleigh Police said it was not yet clear whether all the crimes had been committed by the same group of people but stressed that the police were determined to find the culprits.

She said: “It is low scale damage but on such a large scale. We are still getting more reports and we would encourage people to tell us so we know what is going on. We are urging witnesses to come forward. Anything they know however small may be of help.”

She added it was possible the badges were being swapped and urged anybody who saw such behaviour to contact the police immediately.

Anyone with information about the criminal damage should contact Pc Sarah Munnings on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

n. Have you been affected? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

PANEL

Since last Tuesday nine vehicles have had their aerials taken and around 25 have had their badges taken.

n. Theft of aerials - happened overnight between last Tuesday and Wednesday in Emmerson Way, Aldham Road, Allen Road, Rampling Close and Oxford Drive.

n. Theft of 25 car badges took place between Thursday and Monday in Angel Street, Edwin Panks Road, Woolner Close and George Street

n. Vandals caused damage to paintwork on a BMW 318 parked in Lambert Close in the town by scratching lines and flowery patterns into its paintwork with a sharp object sometime between 7pm on Saturday and 10am on Monday.

n. In another incident in Tayler Road at 1.45am on Sunday two young boys were seen having prised the logo badge off a silver Suzuki Wagon.

The first boy was described as white, in his mid teens, about 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build and wearing a light grey jacket with the hood up and dark trousers.

The second youth was described as a white, in his mid teens, about 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build and wearing a dark jacket with the hood up and dark trousers.