Fresh appeal as cars are damaged

The latest call for public help comes after two cars were damaged during April.

A blue Mini One and red Mini One, each parked on Lagan View Terrace, were scraped on two separate occasions; police said the cars appeared to have been scratched with a sharp implement.

Anyone with information in relation to the incidents is asked to contact police on 101, quoting ref: 417 040516.

Officers are also asking the local community to be vigilant and quickly report any suspicious activity. In recent months police appealed for information following one incident in what they called a “baffling” six-month series of apparently random attacks targeting cars at Dromore’s Banbridge Road.

The PSNI said it was investigating a number of complaints from motorists who had returned to their cars - parked at Banbridge Road, just opposite the Cathedral - to discover they had been scratched with some kind of sharp object.

That appeal followed an incident in which a dark blue Citroen C1 was damaged, with deep scrapes all along the passenger side.

“It has left the owners and the police baffled as to why anyone would want to do such a stupid, thuggish thing, ” a police spokesperson said. “We want to hear from anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously around parked cars in that area, or maybe you’ve heard somebody bragging about it?

“How would you feel if it was your car?

“Together, we can put these people where they belong and keep them away from our cars.

“Owners, be vigilant and call us with any suspicious behaviour you see, ”

Alderman Paul Rankinsaid at the time that the local DUP office received regular complaints about anti-social behaviour.

“There is a general anti-social problem in Dromore, ” he said, “not just on the Banbridge Road . . . anything we hear we pass any information onto the police.”