BUSINESSES in Liphook have been targeted by groups of vandals, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Sainsbury’s superstore was attacked by a group of vandals who rammed a number of shopping trolleys into one of the automatic glass entrance doors, which then collapsed into the foyer, at around midnight, on Friday night.

Store manager Stu Purdey said: “Luckily our CCTV cameras have captured the vandals and we also have a video of their attack. Nothing was taken, just mindless damage caused to a very heavy glass door and its mechanism was broken as well.

“We had to close off the entrance for safety reasons and have alerted the police, who will be studying the CCTV footage.”

PRC Digital, in London Road, was attacked when a gang hurled bricks at their glass windows, stopping short of breaking into the shop, between 11.30pm and 12.45am on Saturday night.

PRC owner Helen Hoff said: “The windows were completely smashed and there was glass everywhere.

“They used brand new bricks, which they must have picked up from some building site, but nothing was taken. I spent all of Sunday, my only day off, clearing up the mess they made,” said added.

“It was just a mindless act of vandalism, which will be very costly for the business and which caused lots of extra work at an already busy time of the year. I have notified the police and talked to people in the area as well as checking The Green Dragon pub’s CCTV footage just down the road.

“Hopefully somebody noticed something suspicious that night.”

Two weeks earlier, Liphook United Football Club were also a target for vandals, who tried to break into the club house on the night of November 3 by smashing a toughened glass window. Although they did not succeed, they left a lot of damage behind.

The club said in a statement: “LUFC is a non-profit community football club, who use whatever little money is available to provide better facilities for the 250 children and adults on the register. Now we will have a few hundred pounds less after repairs.”

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen anything suspicious to call 101, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.