A destructive individual has faced criticism for vandalizing a store and was captured on surveillance camera blowing kisses to a young woman.
The young man, dressed in green tracksuit bottoms and a black coat, was seen walking through the town center with a female companion. He was also carrying a black handbag and had a gray hood peeking out from under his jacket.
In the video, the young man is shown removing signs from the front of the store and throwing them across the street. He struggled to take one sign down, eventually pulling it off the wall, smiling, and blowing a kiss to the woman before discarding the sign, causing papers to scatter everywhere.
The incident took place in Barnstaple, North Devon, around 11:45 pm on Saturday, October 11th. Claire Weston, the shop owner, expressed her frustration, stating, “There are youths roaming around our town causing havoc. It’s appalling. Where are the repercussions?”
Local residents were also outraged by the situation, with one person commenting, “He’s a disrespectful little troublemaker who needs to learn some manners and discipline.” Another remarked, “What a pitiful existence,” while a third added, “What a fool.”
Devon and Cornwall Police have been contacted for a response.
Just a day earlier, a serious assault was reported in the town, prompting the police to seek witnesses. Authorities confirmed responding to a disturbance involving 12-14 young individuals on Queen Street around 1:05 am on October 11th. An individual in his early 20s was found outside Barum Takeaway, reporting being attacked and kicked while on the ground.
The victim was hospitalized with fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
The police urged anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward by contacting 101 or visiting their website and quoting reference number 50250263267.
Data from Police.UK shows that 210 crimes were reported in the Barnstaple Central Town area in August, including instances of shoplifting, violence, sexual offenses, anti-social behavior, and other crimes. This marks an increase from the 147 crimes reported in the same month in 2024. In August 2023, only 72 crimes were reported in Barnstaple town center. Barnstaple is a river-port town located close to popular coastal destinations like Saunton, Croyde, and Woolacombe, approximately an hour away from Exeter by train.
