THE amount of criminal damage to cars in rural communities such as Tregaron is “unusually high” given the size of the population, councillors have been told.

Sgt Richard Marshall, Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant for mid Ceredigion, revealed that there had been a ‘spike’ in the number of cars targeted in the mid-Wales town.

“Tregaron has been hit mainly – we have recorded 15 such instances, the majority of which came in one night,” he told Aberaeron town councillors.

“For the size of the population that figure is unusually high.

“These outbreaks are down to one or two individuals in each community and, in the case of Tregaron, we have a suspect.

“The type of damage inflicted to parked vehicles seems to vary from town to town.

“In Aberaeron, tyres are slashed while in Tregaron cars are scratched at waist-height – or ‘keying’ as it is known.

“In Cardigan all sorts of damage has been reported.

“We’ve knocked on an immense number of doors here in Aberaeron.

“As councillors you have your ears to the ground and I would be so grateful if you’d call us on 101 to pass on any information.

“We obviously have more chance of DNA and fingerprint detection if we have the actual names of suspects.”

Cllr Elizabeth Evans felt the standard of policing in Aberaeron had slipped.

“Ever since we lost Sgt Delme Rees there has been a huge chasm,” she claimed.

“Things have not been the same since the rota was changed and we have missed that link between councillors and officers who have not been attending so many meetings.

“Yes, there has been an improvement lately, but we went through a very bad dip here in Aberaeron and it was noticed – not just by us, but by residents as well.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now