Around 20 masked males smashed the windows of vehicles at an Asda car park in Huyton and on surrounding streets on Mischief Night, prompting criticism from Merseyside Police and the local MP.
Merseyside Police said it received several reports at around 8pm on Friday that the group had damaged vehicles at the car park on Asda, Hey Road and nearby streets. Footage of the incident, showing individuals standing on cars and smashing windscreens and wing mirrors, circulated on social media over the weekend.
Police Condemn 'Appalling Act'
Merseyside Police Inspector David Hassett described the incident as "an appalling act of criminal damage that will not be tolerated." He said the force was aware of social media footage showing part of the incident, which depicted a number of males in all black clothing and wearing face coverings.
"We are under no illusion how this mindless vandalism can have a significant impact on the owners of these vehicles," Hassett said. "It's a huge inconvenience and potentially a costly measure to get a vehicle repaired, so I completely understand why people will be angered by what happened."
He added that while it was difficult to identify anyone from the footage, the force was doing everything it could to identify those involved and urged anyone with information to come forward.
MP Calls for Action
Anneliese Midgley, MP for Knowsley, said the weekend's scenes of antisocial behaviour and criminal damage across Knowsley were "completely unacceptable" and that residents were "quite rightly outraged."
"People should not be forced to live in fear of gangs of lawless youths roaming the streets," she said. "Those responsible must face the full force of the law. This behaviour has to stop."
Midgley said she had contacted Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council for an urgent update on the incidents and would be speaking with partners about preventing such criminality in the future.
Force Reports Reduction in Reports
Merseyside Police confirmed the region saw a 10% reduction in reports of antisocial behaviour and criminal damage on Friday compared with the same night last year. The force said 17 dispersal orders were in place and a stop and search order was made in Garston.
Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton, force lead for the policing operation, reminded parents and guardians how important it is to know where their child is and what they are up to.
"No parent wants a knock on their door from a police officer informing them that their child has been arrested or, worse still, has been involved in a serious accident," he said. Enquiries into the incident remain ongoing, and the force asked anyone with information to come forward.
