Vandals cause thousands of pounds damage and threaten residents

Prolific vandals have struck across the borough in the past two weeks destroying hundreds of estate and letting agents' boards causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The vandalism has been reported to the police, who have advised the company who erect the boards not to confront the vandals as knives are being used and residents threatened.

Bernadette Morris, Morris Property Management Services, said: "We noticed our boards had been damaged on Monday and like all agents affected are working with our clients and the police to get to the bottom of who is responsible."

Nigel Adamson, Adamson's Estate Agents, said: Our boards have been damaged, it started the weekend before last and has continued this week. We have replaced boards only for them to be damaged again. It’s happening all over Rochdale and Heywood.

"One resident contacted us to say a red van pulled up outside their house around 10.30pm and started slashing the board outside their house.

"As each board costs around £45, the total cost must now be in the region of £10,000 across the borough, costs picked up by estate agents and the board companies."

A spokesman for Cowell-Norford said: "Residents have been threatened for asking who they are and what they are doing."

"We feel sorry for the board companies, they are responsible for the boards, so if they get damaged they have to replace them, it must be costing them a fortune."

Simon from Agency Boards, one of the companies that erects the boards, said: "It's affecting us, we have had hundreds damaged. It’s happening to lots of our agents and right across the Rochdale borough and into Whitworth. We have stopped putting boards in gardens.

"It started about two weeks ago; there seems no rhyme or reason to it as its affecting a number of agents and a number of board companies.

"We have spoken to the police and they are investigating, but as it’s happening late at night, around 10.30-11.00pm unless someone sees them and contacts the police there is not a lot they can do."