A TEACHING assistant has been left upset after a band of yobs caused thousands of pounds of damage to her car during a vandalism spree in Clacton.

The vandals were caught on camera as they ran through streets in the early hours on Saturday, causing damage to buildings, roads, fences and cars.

They targeted vehicles and properties in Holland Park, Wyndham Crescent, Clay Hall and Boley Drive.

Louiza Cates, 26, from Holland Park, was disgusted to find white paint had been sprayed on her Mini One.

“They’ve caused a lot of damage,” she said.

“They spray painted the bonnet and the side windows of my car.

“There was a group of about four or five of them coming down the road and at least one was spray painting cars.

“On my CCTV, I could see the others on their phones, but assume more had spray paints as there were different colours.

“They caused damage in the alleyway by Clay Hall and spray painted the trees, buildings and fences.

“I mostly feel sorry for the elderly people there who will have to go out in the cold.

“With everything going on at the moment with Covid, nobody needs this.

“They’ve ruined my whole bonnet, which will have to be replaced.

“I have insurance, but it’s cheaper to get it repaired yourself than have insurance premiums go up.”

She added that a number of her neighbours were also targeted.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We received several reports of criminal damage whereby vehicles and garden walls have been spray painted within the areas of Holland Park, Wyndham Crescent, Clay Hall and Boley Drive, which occurred during the night.

“If you have been a victim, please report this to us.

“Anyone with information or CCTV or Ring doorbell footage is asked to contact us quoting incident EP-20201128- 339.”

Witnesses to the incident, which happened at about 1.55am, should call Essex Police on 101 or submit a report online at essex.police.uk.