Residents have called for anti-social children and their parents to be handed fines after books were stolen from outside homes, set alight and thrown at people’s houses.

A gang riding around Sittingbourne has been causing havoc for people in Highsted Road, Kestrel Close, Crocus Drive and other nearby roads.

For the past two weeks the youngsters, who have been roaming the estate on e-scooters, bikes and by foot, have been stealing books from an elderly woman’s book swap stand and setting them alight before launching them at windows, or into gardens.

One angered Sittingbourne resident had enough and confronted the group on Sunday, January 3, but says she had abuse hurled at her.

Sarah Louise said: “What are the parents of these boys doing to condone this type of behaviour in the middle of a Tier 4 lockdown because of a global pandemic? They must be so proud.

“Police should be enforcing fines on the children and the parents for letting them out.

“People are losing loved ones and jobs to this virus but they go about with no self respect or respect for other people and other people’s properties. It’s terrible.

“My neighbour, whose books they are, is so lovely and for someone who is doing such a nice thing for the community and they just keep getting stolen or vandalised, it’s very upsetting.”

Sarah took to social media to explain how her house and windows were targeted by the group of eight who were throwing books at a number of properties in Highsted Road and Kestrel Close.

She added: “They were all wearing black coats with their hoods up, three were on scooters, two on bikes and three on foot.

“This is not the first incident as last week they stole my elderly neighbours books and set them on fire and threw them into our neighbours back gardens.”

One Crocus Drive resident, who didn’t want to be named through fear of repercussions, said the same group targeted her home before Christmas.

“They’re a nightmare. There was six of them who kicked my door in one night and we weren’t able to get it fixed until 3am.

“They’ve pelted my house with eggs and pulled down a bollard which we have at the end of the drive.

“We now feel vulnerable as a result of the constant problems. They shouldn’t even be out in groups, but its a regular thing around this area.”

Police spokesman Vicki Foster said: “Kent Police was called at 5.45pm on January 3 to a report of a group of young people causing anti-social behaviour near Farm Crescent, Sittingbourne.

“Officers attended, however the group had already left the area and were not located.”

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