vandals have been on the rampage in Farnham, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to a number of local retail outlets.

The newly-refurbished Hargreaves Sports Shop, in the Borough, was targeted for the third time this year in the early hours of Monday morning when the new £3000 front windows were smashed.

Immediately afterwards the windows of Threshers Wine Shop in Ridgeway Road were broken and £50 worth of cigarettes stolen.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Frensham Village Shop at Shortfield Road was targeted by vandals using a large piece of wood to break the windows, and just minutes later the front windows of Cost Cutters in Frensham Road were smashed, causing damage put at £100.

Police believe the spate of attacks are linked and the suspects are believed to be three men using a white Vauxhall Cavalier.

The spate of vandalism comes as Farnham police have just secured the purchase of a mobile CCTV camera. It is hoped this will directly target crime hot spots more effectively than the fixed cameras.

In the aftermath of the attack on Hargreaves, manageress Sally Wilkinson has criticised the fixed CCTV for being ineffective, and believes the police are not doing enough to help local retailers.

"The police turned up a few minutes after they struck, but failed to catch anyone. It has annoyed me that the CCTV cameras were not focused on the shop; once again I feel let down by the police. The cameras never seem to be on the right place and I don't think they deter people."

However, Phyllida Adams, Farnham Initiative manager, who co-chairs the town's retailers' group. believes that such crimes are still quite rare in the town and the police are doing their best in "difficult circumstances".

Mrs Adams cited how major changes in procedures, personnel problems and staff shortages at Farnham police station have all contributed to the failure of Radio Link, a scheme set

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