Yobs target New Addington children's centre three times
RAMPAGING youths have caused £15,000 worth of damage to a children's centre.
The young vandals ripped and burnt a huge sunshade, smashed windows and kicked a CCTV camera during three separate incidents at Fairchildes Children's Centre in New Addington.
-
UPSET: Cheryle Sutherland, Fairchildes Children's Centre manager, with one of the youngsters in front of the wrecked sail Photo no: CCRPM200710C14 by Paul Martyniuk
A gang of unruly teenagers first targeted the building on the weekend of July 3.
When staff arrived for work the following Monday they discovered a £1,620 sail, which shades children from the sun, had been ripped apart after being used as a makeshift trampoline, before having holes burnt in it with cigarettes.
Cheryle Sutherland, manager of the centre in Fairchildes Avenue, said the damage was irreparable.
"We've been told that if the holes were any bigger than a 50 pence piece, there's nothing that could be done," she said.
"Not only are the burn marks quite big, but there is a huge rip through the sail because it couldn't take their weight.
"It will have to be completely replaced."
Reeling from the damage to their garden area, which was only opened last November, parents of children who use the centre were shocked when it was targeted again a week later.
First on July 10, a different group of teenagers caused further damage to the tattered canopy and then smashed a babies' sensory toy worth £500.
The next evening more vandals jumped into the grounds of the centre and climbed on to the roof before smashing windows, kicking a CCTV camera and hurling stones across the playground.
In all, Mrs Sutherland estimates more than £15,000 of damage was caused during the three incidents.
However, she warned would-be vandals that some of the youths involved had been caught on CCTV and were being investigated by the police.
"It's been very distressing for the parents. They just cannot understand why anyone would want to do this," she said.
Head teacher Ros Sandell, who is also head of neighbouring Fairchildes Primary School, branded the vandalism as "mindless".
She said: "It's upsetting for the children because a lot of what has been damaged is equipment they are used to being able to come and use.
"The ripped shade sail is particularly difficult to take because, given the weather, it was being used all the time.
"It's difficult to understand why local kids would want to come and damage an important community resource."
Catrina McPherson, whose two-year-old son Damon attends the children's centre, added: "It's such a shame that stupid kids feel they have to do such nasty things to have fun.
"The children's centre is such a wonderful place to visit and offers children a safe and fun place to play and learn.
"I just hope the police go and visit their parents and fine them.
"The parents of these nasty idiots should pay for the damage, then they might teach their children some respect."
Officers from the New Addington Safer Neighbourhood Team have visited the centre.
If you have information call the team on 020 8649 1492.
21 Comments
View all
by ANNE, SELSDON
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 8:51PM
“Jess - how right you are!”
by Jess, new addington
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 8:07AM
“I appreciate that the courts are ineffectual Anne, but there is a lot that the police and the council could do especially with younger offenders. A lot of the children who cause these problems should be tucked up in bed, not roaming the streets. Getting tough with irresponsible parents might help, taking the little brats home and giving them a warning in front of their parents seems like the very least they should do. Not 'you're a naughty boy, go home' , it's ridiculous.”
by Anon, Anon
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 1:26AM
“Dont help when people make silly phone calls to police over nothing, when the police have much more better things to be getting on with like serious crime.People in real danger.”
by Anon, Anon
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:56PM
“And she would know she's the one on the blower alday to them with her stupid phone calls about being locked (NOT) in her own car...”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:43PM
“The problem lies with the Courts, rather than with the police. Even police admit that.”
by jess, new addington
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:09AM
“I agree with you Anne that the safer neighbourhood team are excellent, but they are not always the ones responding to calls. This gang of yobs were ramming sticks through my neighbour's letter box trying to stab her every time she got near the door to chase them away, and the police response was appalling. They didn't want to attend and just told the kids off and sent them away. It's little wonder that they move on to more violent and destructive crimes. You were obviously well brought up, but sadly that's not the case for many children now. They're so full of their rights that there is nothing that the police CAN do, thank our previous government for that one.”
by Mike, Ex Croydon
Monday, July 26 2010, 5:24PM
“Anne
The trouble is that our policeing isn't strong enough and many crimes are not reported to the police because law abidding people have lost confidence in the police and they also know that the crime is often "downgraded" by the police to help the local crime figures/statistics.
¿Cautions¿ are often given for crimes that should be brought before a court ,a friend of my daughters was assaulted by another girl and the police officer tried to persuade the victim to allow them to issue a caution ( I know cautions are recorded) she would not agree and by the time the case came to court the same girl had been charged with three further crimes.”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Monday, July 26 2010, 12:28PM
“The New Addington Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant is a great guy - and, yes, he can be bothered. The problem with many of the residents is that they don't report things.”
by Jess, new addington
Monday, July 26 2010, 7:41AM
“Although I agree with Krystal that even good parents can have problem kids, I think they're in the minority round here. The worst kids I know belong to a two parent family, mum and dad both have good jobs, nice house, nice car, fancy holiday and no time whatsoever for their children. Christopher is right, involve your children in your life, attention from parents is what most of them want. As for the police, sorry but it's not just that they're ineffectual, they really can't be bothered. A gang of about 20 kids were pestering a neighbour of mine and the police told her just to tell them to get lost! They probably got fed up of tormenting a disabled lady and went and trashed the school instead, I'd love to see cctv images of the little swines, lets have them published.”
by Chef., Anon
Monday, July 26 2010, 12:01AM
“No limit to your skills then, next your be making fried egg and chips. boy! your going up in the world. Seriously, if you did it for real, nice one! :)”