A BUSINESS owner has hit out after discovering mindless yobs had smashed 12 of his windows.

Peter Grubb says something must be done about the level of petty crime and vandalism in Shoebury after the windows of Uncle Tom’s Cabin were smashed with bricks.

Mr Grubb, who owns the cafe, said: “The first window was smashed a week previously with a great long wooden pole which was used as a battering ram.

“Then I was made aware by some witnesses that a further 11 windows had been smashed by youths on bikes.

Echo:

“They had used some loose bricks from the public toilets nearby. I can only assume they were trying to break in because they had thrown the bricks with such ferocity.”

Mr Grubb estimates the damage at about £1,000, but he is going to do the work himself in an effort to save some money.

In an email from Southend Council seen by the Echo, property director Scott Dolling acknowledged the public toilets had been vandalised on a regular basis.

Mr Grubb added: “We are a small, independent business and can’t afford to be forking out money for this kind of thing.

“Something needs to be done about it because the area is becoming a vandalism black spot. It’s very frustrating that I now have to deal with this.

Echo:

“We were hoping the council’s CCTV would have picked it up but they are unsure it was working at the time.

“Speaking to police officers, they told me I had become a victim of this kind of feral crime like so many others in the area.

“My experience of the perpetrators is that they’re not the people you would associate with this but the attitude of the youths today is terrible - it seems to be the way of the world at the moment unfortunately.”

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101.