Lincluden centre struck by vandals yet again

Jul 2 2009 By Patricia Lewis

A NOTORIOUS gang of youngsters have caused damage to a community centre in the latest of a series of attacks in recent months.

Management at the centre believe that a group of kids known as the Lincluden Young Team may be behind last weeks attacks on the town’s community centre.

Lynn Uygun, a volunteer at the centre said: “On Tuesday night they came in and peeled three trellis’s off the wall and they threw some stuff around. They damaged plants as well.”

On Thursday night the same group of kids are believed to have returned to cause more damage to the centre and even climbed onto the roof.

“In the space of an hour they’d gone into one of the bins and taken out several bags of dog pooh and thrown it on the roof and around the garden.”

An ornamental stone from the garden was also smashed.

Lynn stressed although the cost of repairs would be low it was the cleaning-up which concerned her and other members of the centre. She said: “Money wise it will not be a lot to repair, it’s the clean-up that’s the concern. It’s more disheartening than anything else.”

During Thursday nights attack three doors were sprayed with graffiti.

Lynn claims the letters sprayed on the doors, known as tagging, read LYT which is associated in the area with the Lincluden Young Team.

Although Lynn says the majority of children in the area are well behaved, there was a group that were spoiling it for everyone else.

“Many of the kids come along when we have events on and have a good time. There will be a core group of them causing the damage.

“Now that it’s the summer holidays this will just keep happening.”

The centre still went ahead with its school disco on Friday night.

The facility received a £6,000 grant last year from the Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP) for a makeover and to have security precautions installed including security lighting.

However since then attacks on the centre have continued. 

Police are now investigating the incidents and have asked for anyone with information to contact them on 0845 600 5701.