DEVON County Council is working with the police to review whether any street lights in Bannawell Street in Tavistock should be restored to all-night operation, following another spate of car vandalism.

Feelings are running high in the street and after talking to residents police are aware that there are many incidents which people have not reported.

The latest crime occurred overnight on June 26/27 when a brand new car was scratched all along its passenger side.

Police sergeant Dave Anning said Bannawell Street had suffered at the hands of vandals for many years. Despite various attempts to curtail it, including patrols by uniformed and plain-clothed officers, talks with residents to suggest ways of helping the situation, such as leaving lights on downstairs at night over the weekends, they had not yet found a way of cracking it.

Sgt?Anning said:?'We do not think it is only one person or a particular group of people doing it. Bannawell Street is close to town and very often these are random crimes by people who are walking back home after a few too many beers.

'I am not sure that switching the lights back on at night will make a difference to the level of car crime but it might make residents feel less vulnerable.'

Night-time street lighting in many residential areas of towns was reduced by Devon County Council last year to save money and reduce carbon emissions.

Bannawell Street resident Jane Williams said her 4x4 was vandalised a month ago: 'I think switching the lights back on at night would be a deterrent to criminals. It also means that we can see what is going on.'

A Devon County Council spokesman said: 'In developing schemes, the police are involved in the consultations and the views of the community are fed in through the involvement of parish and town councils.

'We are currently working with police to review whether any lights in Bannawell Street should be restored to all-night operation.'