Northumbria Police are appealing for witnesses after a car was trashed in Whitley Bay sometime between New Year's Day and January 2.
Haley Oldham, 35, parked her car on Marden Road on New Year's Day at 6pm to meet her family for drinks. The mother of three left her vehicle overnight only to return the next day and find her grey Volkswagen Golf vandalised.
Both wing mirrors were broken off, with debris strewn along the street, and the bodywork extensively keyed. Two tires were also deflated from the valve, Haley also believes the rear bumper was kicked and dented.
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"My family lives in Whitley Bay, I lived there until I was 17, I trusted the area and I never thought that would happen to my car there, otherwise I would never have parked there", Haley said.
"I would advise no one to leave their care in the area, it's not nice to say about the area, but this has happened and I just don't trust it".
Haley works as a dinner lady at New York Primary School but can be allocated to work at different schools across the area. Haley also has to drive her six-year-old to school in Wallsend from the family home in North Shields.
Haley continued: "If the car gets written off I will be genuinely gutted because it starts every morning for the school runs, I've always looked after my car mechanically-wise, if there has ever been an issue I always get it sorted.
"Why would someone want to do this to a car parked on the road? Why walk past it and think I am going to damage this care?
"What are they getting out of it, does it make them happy? I am confused as to why someone would do that, people work hard for these things.
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"If anyone has seen or heard anything they should get in touch with Northumbria Police and give them any information they think they might have regarding the incident".
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "On January 2, police received a report a car had been damaged while parked on Marden Road, Whitley Bay.
"It is believed that at some point between 6pm on New Year’s Day and 6.15 pm on January 2, an unknown offender approached a vehicle, deflated the tyres, scratched the car, and smashed the wing mirrors before leaving the area.
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"Enquiries into the incident are ongoing, and anyone with information should contact police by using the "Tell us Something" page on our website, quoting crime reference 000614L/23."
Whitley Bay councillor John O'Shea said: "Whitley Bay is normally a safe place to be, so I am surprised this kind of vandalism has taken place. The Police are on to it and hopefully, there should be some kind of resolution.
"This is a horrible incident and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward and assist the Police".
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