VANDALS who went on the rampage in a Donside village causing several thousand pounds worth of damage have been condemed.
Windows were smashed at a school - where a security guard and CCTV units have been operating to protect the building - and cars had their paintwork scratched and number plates ripped off.
A dry ski slope and a house under construction were also tar
geted during the wrecking spree in Alford.
Community leaders this week hit out at the "mindless" destruction, which they hoped they had seen the last of following visible police presence in the village in recent months.
Donside Community Council chairman Ian Law, said: "We are getting a bit fed up with this vandalsim. We had quite a lot of help from the police over the last six months. The police made a special effort to do something about it but they seem to be fighting a losing battle.
"It is disappointing. It appeared it was helping the situation quite a bit. But their efforts look to be a bit in vain."
Mr Law, however, stressed it was only a minority of people responsible for vandalism which was ruining the reputation of the majority of the village's good young citizens.
"Most of the kids are all right," he said. "There are just a few rotten apples in the barrel which seems to tar the names of all the kids in the village.
"They always come up with the excuse that there is nothing to do. But there's plenty to do in Alford. It's not devilment. It's absolute destruction. It's mindless and I don't know what the answer is."
The latest vandalism attack on Alford happened overnight between last Thursday and Friday when a number of windows were smashed at Alford Academy, in Murray Terrace, and at the Dry Ski Slope in Greystone Road.
A Toyota Celica and Nissan Micra also had their paintwork scratched and number plates ripped off while parked in the street.
A house under construction on Greystone Road was also targetted. The total cost of damage is valued at several thousand pounds.
It came as Grampian Police revealed that security guards had been deployed at several Aberdeeenshire secondary and primary schools to protect the buildings during the Easter holidays. Mobile CCTV units have also been put in place at schools which have been vandalised repeatedly.
The move is part of the force's Total Community in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council's education and recreation department.
A council spokeswoman confirmed that a mobile security guard arrangement was operating at Alford Academy during the school's Easter holidays which began on March 30 and will conclude on Monday (April 16).
"In addition, a mobile CCTV unit has been in place continually recording images of the campus," she added. "The main aim has been to ensure that the security and integrity of the school's campus is maintained. We have found in previous years that by introducing these measures during holiday periods vandalism has been greatly reduced."
PC Craig Kennedy, a crime reduction officer from South Aberdeenshire Division, said: "Traditionally during the school holiday periods we see an increase in vandalism at school premises. The type of offences reported range from broken windows, graffiti and occasionally deliberate acts of wilful fire raising.
"I would urge parents to speak to their children regarding the possible consequences of committing vandalism or other crimes against schools or other properties. The measures put in place for the Easter holidays are for the sole purposes of detecting and prosecuting offenders.
"Schools play an important role in our communities and I would encourage any member of the public, particularly residents living close to schools, who see suspicious activity within the grounds of a school, to report these incidents immediately to Grampian Police."
A police spokesman said this week that their inquiries into the Alford vandalism were ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact Grampian Police on 0845 600 5700 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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