Vandals are causing misery for car owners on an estate in Basildon because street lights are not working.

Taken out - vandals cut the fuel line of Bill Wilby's car Picture: NICOLA FENN

As well as stealing cars and smashing windows, hooligans have in the past ten days cut the fuel lines of three cars in order to steal petrol from the vehicles.

Residents of Rochester Way claim the vandals arrived when the lights went out in October 2002, after a car crashed into one of the street light columns.

Bill Wilby, 65, said: "It's ridiculous that we can't get any joy from the council. We couldn't care less who sorts this problem - we just want the lights back on. It's pitch black without them and an open invitation to vandals."

Published Friday January 23, 2004

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