A community group has urged people to stop vandalising buildings with tributes to youths who died in the A66 crash. Graffiti messages left on the walls of the East Middlesbrough Events Centre include: "RIP The Boys". Other tributes read "Never be Forgotten RIP The Lads" and the initials of those in the VW Passat with "Rest easy boys".
Community group appeals against damage
Tees Valley Active asked about a company which could clean off the graffiti and urged people not to damage buildings. They posted on Facebook: "We understand that people want to express their emotions and pay their respects. But damaging buildings that are being used to support local residents ultimately impacts the same community we are all trying to look after."
"There are other ways we can come together to remember, pay tribute and show our support without damaging facilities that local people rely upon." The message also asked about a company which could clean off the graffiti.
Fundraisers pass £1 million
The public plea came as fundraisers for the two armed police officers who were killed in the head-on collision near Middlesbrough on Saturday morning broke the £1 million barrier. Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were the officers killed. Cleveland Police have arrested 17 people since the crash between a VW Passat, which was heading in the wrong direction on the dual-carriageway, and a marked armed response vehicle.
Those in the Passat were Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak. They were pronounced dead at the scene at South Bank. Cleveland Police state that the car involved was seemingly using "cloned plates" at the time of the pursuit, and have linked it to another suspicious vehicle, a Volvo XC60, that was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
Investigation and tributes
Two online fundraisers for the police officers have broken the £1 million barrier. A GoFundMe page organised by the Cleveland Police Federation has reached more than £959,000 by Wednesday morning while another GoFundMe page for them had reached over £45,000. Inquests were due to open on Thursday morning for the two officers while hearings for the young men in the Passat were scheduled for the afternoon at Teesside Magistrates' Court.
Police have previously said that the five young men in the Passat may have had links to "serious and organised criminal activity". Four of the five young men in the car had previous criminal convictions and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties earlier that morning. Cleveland Police has previously said that on the morning of the collision, it received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. The first vehicle, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo. Police said both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were picked up by automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough. Pc Blades and Pc Clough were not involved in the original pursuit, but had been called to the area to assist with the search for the Passat.
Family members described former Civil Nuclear Constabulary officer Pc Clough as "our hero" who was "always on public duty". In a statement issued by Cleveland Police, Pc Blades' wife called him "my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys". Police said there was no evidence that filming of the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning was "for the purposes of TikTok".
Speaking to Channel 5 News from a supermarket in London, the Prime Minister was asked if there is anything the Government can do to crack down on the "growing problem online of the police being goaded and provoked". Andy Burnham said: "There's always something we can do and the glorification of dangerous driving is an appalling trend, and it needs to be challenged, and that means everybody playing their part to stop it, including the tech companies." Pressed on whether he would be asking tech companies to take down such content, he added: "I'm waiting for a full investigation into what happened at the weekend, but people can be sure that we'll take action off all of the issues that are coming out."
