Residents on an estate in Merthyr Tydfil say they are being targeted by teenagers in an ongoing spate of anti-social behaviour that has escalated into hate crime.
In the latest incident in Woodland Walk, in the Cyfarthfa area of Merthyr, a house had its front door and windows sprayed with blue paint. A car and ring doorbell camera were also sprayed and the tyres of one resident's car were punctured in the incident on August 17.
South Wales Police said it was investigating but no one has been arrested.
Residents feel 'completely unprotected'
One affected resident who did not want to be named said a group of up to 20 teenagers was responsible, but claimed nothing had been done to stop them, despite ongoing reports to the police for more than a year.
Matters have now become "targeted vandalism and a hate crime," they said. "For years, local residents have suffered from persistent harassment caused by groups of teenagers kicking front doors and throwing eggs at houses. Despite repeated reports, the situation has only deteriorated.
"Over the past few days, the vandalism reached a severe level, hate crime and vehicle damage. My car was vandalised. Vandals spray-painted the word 'GAY' on it and slashed my tyres.
"A neighbour's house had its front door and windows sprayed with blue paint. Their car and ring doorbell camera were also sprayed to destroy evidence. This has gone far beyond simple anti-social behaviour. It is targeted property destruction and hate speech.
"We have repeatedly reported these incidents to South Wales Police, but no effective action has been taken. We are left feeling completely unprotected in our own homes."
Police campaign yields arrests
They said they understood that sometimes, some young people knock on doors and run away as a joke, but that this has now escalated into kicking doors and throwing eggs and spraying cars. "We don't know how much further it will go."
A South Wales Police spokesperson said: "South Wales Police is investigating a criminal damage offence that took place at a property in Ynysfach yesterday morning, August 18. No arrests have been made, but investigations into the offence are ongoing."
To tackle anti-social behaviour, SWP said it is currently running a campaign called Clear Hold Build with Merthyr Tydfil County Council and others. The Clear phase, in Merthyr Tydfil, worked at addressing issues in the town centre, including drug-related criminality, anti-social behaviour (ASB), retail crime, aggressive begging, and associated organised criminality.
The force said that since it was launched in summer 2025, there have been: 339 arrests, 57 stop searches, 430 intelligence submissions, 185 ASB referrals, and 12 Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs) issued against repeat offenders responsible for persistent anti-social behaviour and community harm.
Long-term trends indicate that this has resulted in a 10% reduction in overall crime and an 18% reduction in ASB proxy offences, including damage and public order offences.
Chief Superintendent Jason Rees said: "The Clear phase has delivered positive and measurable outcomes in reducing crime, disorder and community harm. However, sustaining and building upon these achievements will require continued commitment from all partners."
He said the long-term success of the initiative would not only be measured by reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour, but also by the extent to which communities "feel safer, more connected, more resilient and more confident."
