Obscene

The paint vandals struck late on Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday, carrying out extensive daubing of Durrington Community Centre, the Tesco store, and many homes, and cars in the Carisbrooke Drive area.

There has been a shocked reaction to the graffiti, some of it obscene and racist, and which included comments on individual local police officers.

The police have offered a 2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offenders, and Worthing Borough Council may also offer a reward.

By Monday, the police had arrested two teenage youths who were later bailed pending further enquiries. More arrests were expected.

Saturday morning shoppers at the Tesco complex were sickened to see the extent of the previous night's vandalistic rampage.

They were stunned to see that bright orange graffiti had been painted on tiles all along the western slope of Tesco's roof. Similar criminal damage had been done to the northern roof tiles of Durrington Community Centre, with further desecration on the wall, doors and windows below.

Orange paint had also been sploshed on a window of the Travelcare shop.

The offenders also used white and yellow paint in their mindless orgy, continuing their activities north-westwards into the Carisbrooke Drive area.

Many houses were graffiti targets and residents in Corfe Close, for example, were disturbed at about 3am on Saturday and went out to find their cars daubed with emulsion paint.

Mrs O'Brien described to a Herald reporter how she saw neighbours washing their vehicles before the paint could dry.

"It is not the police we should blame, but the law once these culprits are caught," she said.

"The police catch them and the courts let them out again to stick two fingers up at the police.

"And I would like to know what the parents of these children are thinking of, letting them roam about at 3am."

Detective Sergeant Tanya Jones said: "This is a terrible crime that has been committed by local youths on the local community.

"I would ask that residents assist us by telling us who is responsible, so we can take the necessary action.

"This has caused thousands of pounds' worth of damage. This type of crime affects residents' quality of life and local police will not tolerate it."

DC Dave Dowell, one of the officers who walked around the affected area, said: "It looked absolutely disgraceful. Words fail me."

The Sussex Police force helicopter (flying cost 750 an hour), was used on Saturday to photograph the graffiti damage from above.

Inspector Martin Pattenden said that eight police officers and community support officers called on every address in the north Durrington area where graffiti took place, asking residents if they had been victims and if they had reported it. The officers had also appealed for information about the graffiti attack.

"We are doing everything we can and we are not going to tolerate this," he said. "We want to make sure these people are brought to justice - and given the appropriate sentence."

Insp Pattenden said they had recovered a pot of paint and it had been sent away for forensic tests.

Checks were being made to see if paint had been stolen in recent incidents.

The weekend graffiti attack was a particular blow for Jackie Blake, manager of the council-owned Durrington Community Centre.

It was only recently that several of the centre's windows were smashed, leading to a 1,000 bill for their replacement.

"These kids are just taking money from their community, taking it away from their own families and friends. At the end of the day, it is taking money away from other things that need to be done," she said.

The graffiti attack came only days after vandals had tried to smash down the plate glass window of Lyles electrical shop in the shopping centre.

Managing director David Milner told the Herald that the culprits had used loose paving bricks to throw at the window. But as it was constructed of "bandit glass" it had not shattered.

The window would have to be replaced, however, at a cost of 800.

News that the borough council might add to the 2,000 police reward came from Major Tom Wye, the councillor responsible for dealing with anti-social behaviour.

"We are investigating the legality of it," he said, "as is my councillor colleague Reg Green.

"If we can get a good, successful prosecution from this, the yobs would know we are deadly serious.

They are blighting other people's lives. It is obscene and it demonstrates the academic plane these people work on."

Major Tom said the council's priority would be to clean up the community centre. They could not commit themselves to give financial assistance to other property owners affected, but the council would help out where possible in other ways.

His message to the magistrates was: "If we get a successful prosecution, I hope they take due notice of the severity of the offences and the blight it has on the decent people of Worthing."