VANDALS have gone on the rampage in a Southampton street, smashing the windows of three vehicles in three days.

Now residents are calling for tougher policing to combat crime in Millbrook before it gets any worse.

Grandfather of 12 Andrew Morgan was left devastated after thugs smashed all of the windows on his Citroen Picasso causing £1,500 worth of damage.

Then two days later the same thugs are thought to have struck again, smashing the windows of his daughter’s and a neighbour’s Ford Focus, which were also parked on Cherwell Crescent.

Now the 68-year-old lorry driver, who has lived in Millbrook for 12 years, says he feels let down by police and is calling for CCTV and more officers patrolling the area.

He said: “I’ve got no faith in this system now. The police are not backing you up – they should step this up.

“Crime is getting higher and higher. There should be more CCTV and more officers on the street.

“I’m a prisoner in my own home now. It’s like chopping my legs off and it’s costing me money. I just feel we’ve been let down – not just me but members of the public.

“The next thing that will happen is someone is going to get killed around here.”

A police spokesman said: “We are carrying out extensive inquires into the recent cases of criminal damage. We are keeping a close eye on the area and patrols have been stepped up both as a deterrent and to catch anyone who is carrying out these acts of vandalism.

“Generally patrols are prioritised where they are needed most. If there is a particular problem in a particular area expect to see us more. We do have limited resources but regularly patrol all our beat areas. How often dep-ends on lots of factors, such as ongoing policing priorities at the time and the levels of crime in any particular area.”

Councillor Andrew Pope, who represents that ward, said: “Over the last year I have listened to local residents and businesses and worked with the police and the council’s community safety staff to improve the area.

“At the request of the vast majority of residents we have installed CCTV, had a section 30 dispersal order and organised a new Neighbourhood Watch group that met at the reopened Link building. I hope more residents get involved with the Neighbourhood Watch.

“We will continue to improve the area if we continue to work together.”

Anyone with information about the incidents, which happened on Saturday, January 11 and Monday, January 13, is asked to call the Shirley Safer Neighbourhood team on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.