Police hunt youths throwing missiles at lorries

5:02pm Thursday 15th November 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)

ABOVE TRAFFIC: An image taken from CCTV footage of youths hurling breeze blocks off a bridge over the A1 near Coxhoe ABOVE TRAFFIC: An image taken from CCTV footage of youths hurling breeze blocks off a bridge over the A1 near Coxhoe

POLICE are hunting youths who are putting the lives of drivers at risk by throwing bricks and breeze blocks onto vehicles from motorway bridges.

Durham Police say there have been several incidents of items being thrown from two bridges over the A1(M) near Coxhoe, County Durham, in recent weeks and if the offenders are not caught it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.

On Tuesday night (November 13), a CCTV camera captured footage of two youths throwing items including a bag of cement and breeze blocks stolen from a nearby building site from a traffic bridge.

One makeshift missile smashed through the windscreen of a lorry.

The incident happened at about 10.30pm.

The suspected offenders, both male, are described as: about 16-years-old, 5ft 10ins, skinny and wearing a grey hooded top and jeans; and slim, younger than the other youth, also wearing a hooded top and jeans.

The second boy had a small whippet-type dog on a lead.

Police believe these youths may also be responsible for a number of other recent incidents.

On October 4, two males were reported as throwing bricks from the same bridge, damaging a vehicle travelling north. A few minutes later, the windscreen of a vehicle travelling south was smashed.

The next day at about 10pm, a brick was thrown from a nearby footbridge, smashing the windscreen of a lorry. The driver had to be taken to hospital with glass in his eyes.

On October 8, a lorry driver had to perform an emergency stop and was left shocked after a traffic cone was thrown at his vehicle.

Detective Sergeant Siobhan Jones, from Durham City CID, said: “At some level this might be entertaining for the youths involved but I don’t know how entertained they would be if somebody died.

“Someone knows who’s responsible. It’s somebody’s family member. I’d much rather arrest them for criminal damage than something else. It’s time for somebody to come forward.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Steve Gothard at Durham City CID on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.

Comments (7)

12:06pm Fri 16 Nov 12

frankyboy says...

This is one reason to justify armed police patrols. If they catch them in the act, shoot them dead, and society is then a much better place for everyone.
This is one reason to justify armed police patrols. If they catch them in the act, shoot them dead, and society is then a much better place for everyone. frankyboy

12:53pm Fri 16 Nov 12

loonyleft says...

frankboy ,i think you are more dangerous than these youths,would you like the police who tasered the bind man recently to be armed? shut up till you have something sensible to say.
frankboy ,i think you are more dangerous than these youths,would you like the police who tasered the bind man recently to be armed? shut up till you have something sensible to say. loonyleft

11:47pm Fri 16 Nov 12

frankyboy says...

Well if you think that these youths should be allowed to throw breeze blocks off bridges to kill passing motorists and their children, then you are a complete loony. But you admit that anyway.
Well if you think that these youths should be allowed to throw breeze blocks off bridges to kill passing motorists and their children, then you are a complete loony. But you admit that anyway. frankyboy

10:29am Sat 17 Nov 12

Sick As A Pig says...

These feral little morons should be jailed for attempted murder when caught, Then the parents should be named and shamed for not bringing them up correctly.
These feral little morons should be jailed for attempted murder when caught, Then the parents should be named and shamed for not bringing them up correctly. Sick As A Pig

12:24am Sun 18 Nov 12

bishop1 says...

there needs to be very harsh punishment in place for idiots such as these as it is only a matter of time before someone is killed by their actions .
imagine if they dropped something on a hgv & the driver lost control ending up on the opposite carriageway , real potential for mass fatalities all because these little herberts think its a good game of target practice .
there needs to be very harsh punishment in place for idiots such as these as it is only a matter of time before someone is killed by their actions . imagine if they dropped something on a hgv & the driver lost control ending up on the opposite carriageway , real potential for mass fatalities all because these little herberts think its a good game of target practice . bishop1

12:29am Sun 18 Nov 12

Dean M says...

Exactly mate. And as franky says, the death penalty would be ideal.
Exactly mate. And as franky says, the death penalty would be ideal. Dean M

6:01pm Sun 18 Nov 12

loonyleft says...

FRANKBOY, I never said anythink about letting anyone of,but to advocate people going arround in a lynch mob executing people in the street, i think everybody can see who the looney is.
FRANKBOY, I never said anythink about letting anyone of,but to advocate people going arround in a lynch mob executing people in the street, i think everybody can see who the looney is. loonyleft

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