Vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the Bay area

Residents in the Bay have been subject to a wave of vandalism and and anti-social behaviour since the start of the recent lockdown, with local councils bearing the brunt of the costs of repair and replacement.

Sandown Town Council have seen on-going graffiti and damage at its Sandham Gardens play area and skatepark, as well as the St John’s Road toilets.
Town Mayor, Gary Young, said: “It is very sad to see equipment vandalised and public property subject to graffiti, impacting on young users of the playground and also putting our contractors at risk. Increased vandalism is impacting on the limited resources of our council, and those of other councils on the Island, and also adds to the demands on the police which are already stretched at this time.”

Deputy Mayor, Paul Brading, added: “To see this level of anti-social behaviour at any time is disappointing. During a pandemic, when the Island community is facing significant challenges, it is unacceptable and we would ask all members of the public to report any incidents they witness.”
Sandown Town Council are considering introducing CCTV to Sandham Gardens to protect the amenity which costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to install.