Most will remember last Sunday evening as the night our national football team had the opportunity to make football history. Alas their much anticipated match against Spain in the Euro 2024 finals ended in defeat losing 2-1 to the favourites.
What could have been a night of celebration ended in disaster for one local motorist whose car was parked in the market carpark. As crowds made their way home from the pubs in Rye, the trouble started.
A group of drinkers decided to set off fireworks and firecrackers at the rear of the Cinque Ports pub. One eyewitness posted: ” I witnessed them throw one into the market car park which landed about a foot from an incoming car, but it appears they also managed to start a car fire.”
The car in the photographs was destroyed that evening. The owners of the car were on holiday and due to depart the next day but as a result of this mindless vandalism they now had no car and no way of getting back to work on their return from holiday. The owners contacted the police and their insurers but unfortunately their insurance cover did not include a courtesy car and they were then looking at the prospect of hiring a car, at their own cost. At the time of writing the vehicle has yet to be recovered from the carpark.
According to the car owners, the police told them that as there is no chance of the culprits being identified the police wouldn’t be pursuing it. The owners had to cancel the remainder of their holiday and returned home, their parting comment on social media being “at least no one was hurt.”
If you think you can help to identify those involved or have information which may be useful to the Police call 101 or if you want to report something anonymously to Crimestoppers call them on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org
Image Credits: Nick Forman .
I wonder if the police would have investigated if it had been one of their police vehicles damaged? Or if someone had been injured?This is a significant act of violence and vandalism for Rye and yet the police do not even appear willing to do anything. It’s very disturbing and disappointing on the part of the police and Rye Town Council should push for an investigation.
Hear, hear Paul. I’ve always believed in a deterrent being more effective than punishment and was brought up with respect for those older than me, as well as rules laid down – both within education and by the law. Sadly, there appear to be no such rules or deterrents now, which will obviously lead to lack of boundaries and poor behaviour.
Shame on whoever did this and shame on Police for not even trying to and forensically examine the car to see if DNA or fingerprints will identify perpetrator, but its also a lesson for us as car owners to try to make sure we have full insurance cover.
Fingerprints would be on the firework, surely?
Such a shame for the poor family who owned the car.
” No chance of the culprits being identified” is a statement that an investigation has been pursued, however briefly, to an identifiable dead end. The public are entitled to know the basis of the statement. If it means that Rye is so lawless that we must accept the situation, then it should be told as it is.
The Fire Brigade told the police that there were ‘unidentifiable youths’ at the scene who left soon after they arrived, so they didn’t come out. The CCTV doesn’t cover that side of the car park, and the fire would have destroyed any other evidence, so the police advised that they felt there was nothing further to investigate. I don’t know if it was a deliberate act of vandalism or if it was just gross stupidity that got out of hand and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but all the police could do was to provide a crime reference number. I guess I can see where they are coming from as resources are limited, but my husband is still quite annoyed at the lack of concern and finds it harder to accept that no-one will be held accountable.