Speed camera blown up
Discussion
On BBC News.
A £40,000 speed camera was destroyed after it was blasted with a home-made bomb.
Five cameras on the same stretch of the A37 between Bath and Wells in Somerset have been damaged or sabotaged in the past nine months.
Since last May, 12 of the 50 cameras put in place by Avon and Somerset Safety Camera Partnership have been targeted by vandals.
The latest attack took place in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The camera in the village of Emborough, near Shepton Mallet has already been replaced.
One of the other cameras on the road was demolished using an angle grinder and three others were burned using tyres filled with petrol.
'Safety at risk'
The partnership says, across its area covering Bristol, Somerset and Gloucestershire, 12 of its cameras have been destroyed since May.
David Gollicker, partnership spokesman, said: "This incident is quite different to the other attacks with regard to the amount of vandalism involved.
"It is down to a group of motorists who are actively targeting these fixed cameras," he said.
Mr Gollicker added that destroying the cameras could create more of a hazard.
"They are a minority group and they must be aware that what they are doing is putting people's safety at risk."
Avon and Somerset Police added the camera was blown up with easily obtainable homemade items.
A £40,000 speed camera was destroyed after it was blasted with a home-made bomb.
Five cameras on the same stretch of the A37 between Bath and Wells in Somerset have been damaged or sabotaged in the past nine months.
Since last May, 12 of the 50 cameras put in place by Avon and Somerset Safety Camera Partnership have been targeted by vandals.
The latest attack took place in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The camera in the village of Emborough, near Shepton Mallet has already been replaced.
One of the other cameras on the road was demolished using an angle grinder and three others were burned using tyres filled with petrol.
'Safety at risk'
The partnership says, across its area covering Bristol, Somerset and Gloucestershire, 12 of its cameras have been destroyed since May.
David Gollicker, partnership spokesman, said: "This incident is quite different to the other attacks with regard to the amount of vandalism involved.
"It is down to a group of motorists who are actively targeting these fixed cameras," he said.
Mr Gollicker added that destroying the cameras could create more of a hazard.
"They are a minority group and they must be aware that what they are doing is putting people's safety at risk."
Avon and Somerset Police added the camera was blown up with easily obtainable homemade items.
Giving out bomb making instructions for free isn't a good idea. It might dent the government's income from the arms trade. 
We all, of course, could not condone the wilful distruction of public property. And were we to meet the hardened criminal that was responsible we would all, of course, report he or she to the authorities for just punshment.
And not, for example, shake them by the hand a purchase for them a beverage of their choice.
I wish to stress that the second action is an example of what we would *not* do.
Clear? Good.
And not, for example, shake them by the hand a purchase for them a beverage of their choice.
I wish to stress that the second action is an example of what we would *not* do.
Clear? Good.
Mr E said:
We all, of course, could not condone the wilful distruction of public property. And were we to meet the hardened criminal that was responsible we would all, of course, report he or she to the authorities for just punishment.
So thats the MOD logistics department in the sh1 then.
nonegreen said:
[quote=Mr E]We all, of course, could not condone the wilful distruction of public property. And were we to meet the hardened criminal that was responsible we would all, of course, report he or she to the authorities for just punishment.
BOLLOCKS!......BUY THEM A PINT MORE LIKE!!!
>> Edited by cortinaman on Saturday 7th February 01:28
Have to agree that a pint or three would be well deserved.
The tax payer may have had their money used to buy the camera but the majority don't want it.
The money could be better spent on, say, road maintenence (but not congestion-creation schemes of course like pinch points and other similar obstructions to smooth traffic flow).
The tax payer may have had their money used to buy the camera but the majority don't want it.
The money could be better spent on, say, road maintenence (but not congestion-creation schemes of course like pinch points and other similar obstructions to smooth traffic flow).
From The Times today :
The partnership’s spokesman David Gollicker said: “We are concerned about the escalation in attacks, particularly the most recent in which explosives appear to have been used as it is putting at risk the lives of local people.”
The explosive did such a clean job in taking out the camera that it has already been replaced. Mr Gollicker said: “We were able to replace the head almost immediately. When a camera has been burnt with a tyre or knocked down by a vehicle the whole thing needs to be replaced, including the support. That is why some of the other cameras haven’t been put back yet.”
It's almost like he's giving out advice
The partnership’s spokesman David Gollicker said: “We are concerned about the escalation in attacks, particularly the most recent in which explosives appear to have been used as it is putting at risk the lives of local people.”
The explosive did such a clean job in taking out the camera that it has already been replaced. Mr Gollicker said: “We were able to replace the head almost immediately. When a camera has been burnt with a tyre or knocked down by a vehicle the whole thing needs to be replaced, including the support. That is why some of the other cameras haven’t been put back yet.”
It's almost like he's giving out advice
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