Guernsey Press

'Vandals mean the end of lights for me'

A RESIDENT of Lower Hauteville said he has put up his last display of Christmas lights after they were vandalised repeatedly this year.

Published

Ian Mauger, 52, who lives almost opposite The Cock & Bull public house with sons Stephen, 25, and Luke, 15, said he spent £250 this year on an array of 3,500 lights – only to see them wrecked deliberately.

'I've had enough,' he said. 'We do it not only for our pleasure but for others too. People say they love our lights, and we won't be the only ones to suffer.'

Mr Mauger said that three weeks ago the main wire of a display of 160 lights was cut and the net ripped in three places.

He reported it to police, but it was 13 hours before officers arrived.

'When they came they didn't even bother looking at the lights or ask to see the damage,' he said.

'They said it could have been done accidentally, but I'm sure it was deliberate.'

When police called him back, he said they told him they had spoken to neighbours and thought the damage might have been caused by people who had been drinking.

On a further two occasions in the run-up to Christmas, he found the lights were not working.

When he looked for a faulty connection he found that bulbs had been deliberately pulled out and pushed back in to hide the damage.

In the latest incident just before Christmas, a net of 500 lights had the main cable cut and holes torn in it.

He said he had contacted Deputy Matt Fallaize and was considering making a complaint against police. A spokesman for Guernsey Police said every allegation was taken seriously.

'It is for that reason that we do not "screen out" certain types of crime – low level or small chance of successful outcome – like other police services. We investigate every complaint of crime and are committed to retaining that unique position,' he said.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.