Anger at paint attacks

The brazen attack took place in the early hours of Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Aproximately one dozen seperate incidents occurred in a spate of overnight vandalism. Many vehicles were covered in the paint, while others were daubed with slogans. One car was daubed with the word 'peace' and an offensive message was painted on the wall of a local Councillor's property. The councillor believes the attacks were random and were only done "out of badness".

The paint attack used a variety of different colours, including mustard, orange, red and purple and is is extremely damaging to motor vehicles - it can be very difficult and expensive to remove the paint without causing damage to the original, manufacturer's finish.

The incidents occured across a wide area of the village - Briar Hill, Briar Hill Gardens, St Columba's Walk, Ashfield Road, Westland Crescent, Meadowbank Place and Iveagh Park were all affected by the rogue painters.

Local Councillor John-Felix McElhinney, himself a victim of the vandals, said: "It is an absolute disgrace. It is terrible. All those people who had their cars damaged, none of them are ever in any bother. They are all hard working people and there is no reason why anybody would want to throw a load of paint around their cars. I have never had any bother with them. Not one of them. It would sicken you to the teeth.

"I don't know why they would do it. I don't think it was targeted. They didn't do mine because I am a Sinn Fein councillor or anything like that. It wasn't sectarian, I don't think. It was just out of pure badness. It was just random."

A police spokesperson said: "Police are appealing for witnesses after paint was thrown around cars, vans and property in the Greysteel area at the weekend. Officers are investigating approximately a dozen incidents and have appealed for anyone who saw suspicious activity in Briar Hill Gardens, St Columba's Walk, Ashfield Road, Westland Crescent, Meadowbank Place and Iveagh Park areas to contact them. The telephone number to call with any information is 0845 600 8000. Alternatively information can be passed on anonymously through the 'Crimestoppers' charity on freephone 0800 555 111."