Upset Newmarket allotment holders hand CCTV footage of hooded vandalism suspect to police

Newmarket allotment holders are being targeted by a hooded vandal who has been caught on camera destroying their crops.

Suffolk Police have been handed CCTV videos and pictures of the man who is thought to be responsible for damage at the Field Terrace Road allotment site.

A police spokesman said a number of incidents had been reported, including the theft of plants and produce. A greenhouse was also broken into and tools stolen.

The same man is suspected of vandalism in gardens in Weston Way and Exning Road, where flowers have been torn out of the ground and dumped

Becky Curtis, chairman of Newmarket Allotment Association, said plot owners were upset and angry.

“People work very hard on their allotments, planting vegetables and fruit to feed their family and often to give away to friends.

“They put a lot of love, time and effort into it and it is very distressing to find someone has just destroyed it. It would almost be better if they were taking the produce to feed a family but just to just pull it up and then dump it is heartbreaking.

“An allotment can be a person’s safe space, where they can get away and be on their own. It is very hard to know someone has invaded that space just to spoil everything.”

Becky said she hoped enough evidence had been given to the police to enable them to identify and catch the culprit.

“We have CCTV cameras on all our allotment sites and we have got videos and photos of the person who seems to be responsible. In all the footage it appears to be the same person but we have handed it all to the police to help their investigation,” she said.

“It’s hard to make a site completely safe but we have put in new fence panels, locked gates and CCTV and there is not much more we can do if someone is determined to break in,” added Becky

Sue Edmondson, one of the allotment holders, said: "It's vandalism and there is no point to it.”

She said she knew of allotment holders whose crops of purple sprouting broccoli and asparagus had been targeted.

“All the asparagus was pulled up by the roots and then just discarded, which is really sad considering all the work that has gone into growing it. Purple sprouting broccoli takes a year to grow and all that time is just wasted,” she said.

“Allotment people are the most generous and give so much of their produce away so I just don't know why would someone want to do this?”