A MOBILITY scooter-riding hooligan is thought to be behind thousands of pounds-worth of damage to cars in Park South.

Victims complain the vandal, who wears a high visibility jacket, is keying cars at random.

One woman who does not want to be identified claims her car was attacked by him on February 18, while she was actually waiting inside it at Kemerton walk for a friend.

“I was just sat there and I remember a man on a scooter go past really fast. Two minutes later I heard a loud smack as he hit my car. He then punched my wing mirror and bent that back.

“I opened the window said ‘could you stop doing that. Why are you hitting my car?’

“He didn’t say anything but he pulled down his top so I could see he had a breathing tube,” she said. “I thought he was going to hit me. He was really angry.

"He then got out one of those metal flasks for coffee or soup and started smashing the top of the car with it about five times.”

She said the man caused £2,338 worth of damage to the car, denting and scratching the roof as well as smashing the windscreen.

“It was ridiculous. I just couldn’t believe it was happening. I’ve never seen this man before in my life. I wasn’t blocking the pavement or anything."

Vehicles have reportedly been scratched on Cranmore Avenue and Carstairs Avenue.

The mother of a man whose car was damaged on February 15 on Wallsworth drive said: “That was his car that we got him for his 21st birthday. It’s caused £350 worth of damage which is nearly a month's rent for him. He works hard and has always looked after his car, he has never claimed anything on his insurance.”

She and her husband had to lend money so he could repair his car.

“Now his no claims bonus will go up, he premium will go up. He’s on minimum wage so he can’t afford this kind of sudden expense."

Brian Johnson, whose car was keyed said: “I couldn’t believe it really. It’s not just a little scratch, it’s quite deep and it’s across both doors and the front of the car. This is quite a deliberate act,” he added.

His Ford Mondeo was parked outside his house on Wallsworth Road. “It wasn’t blocking the pavement or a dropped curb or anything,” Brian said."I have no idea why someone has done this. Nothing has ever happened like this in the 34 years I’ve lived here."

Brian only found out about the damage because a neighbour saw it on their CCTV.The forklift truck driver said: “I think it’s probably about £200 of damage. I’m worried I’ll get targeted again.

“Now I even park away from the kerb and put my wing mirror down. But I’m worried about parking too far away and a car hitting me on the other side.

“It seems to have happened to more than one person and over a few months.

“It’s quite annoying if he has done it to more than one person. I want to know why the police haven’t stopped him."

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “We are investigating a number of reports of criminal damage where parked cars have been damaged in the Walcot area of Swindon. These are being investigated and we are waiting to view CCTV.

"At this stage nobody has been arrested but our investigations are ongoing.”