Longdowns, Falmouth speed camera cut down by vandals

This morning a picture posted on Facebook by Ryan Moses of A2B Taxis show the supporting pole for the average speed camera in New Row cut down and lying on the pathway and cordoned off with police tape.

Mr Moses said he came across the cut down camera pole at around 1am in the morning.

The chopped in half speed camera a Longdowns on Friday morning (Image: Paul Armstrong / Newsquest)

Mabe Parish councillor Peter Tisdale told the BBC it "will cause a lot of upset"

He said: "It took years and years of campaigning, firstly to get a 30mph speed limit in the village, and then to get a camera.

"The main reason the camera was put there was because cars were going far too fast through the village and we have young people crossing the road to get to their school buses."

This is the third times poles have been targeted with what appears to be an angle grinder with a total of four poles being cut down.

Cameras were cut down on the A39 in October (Image: Paul Armstrong)

In October the two camera poles at Stickenbridge on the A39 near the Norway Inn were cut down. These were recently reinstalled, but then this month another camera pole on the Helston side of Trewennack was also cut down.

A the time of that vandalism, superintendent for local policing, Ian Thompson said: “We’re deeply concerned about the recent surge in criminal damage to average speed cameras in the West Cornwall area.

"These acts not only endangers the public, but also diverts resources from critical police activity, it disrupts the local community and road users, and places a burden on the taxpayers for the repair costs.

"Our investigations continue and we urge the community to report any suspicious activity or share information that might aid our enquiries. Please contact the police on 101 and quote reference number 50230296496."

Devon and Cornwall Police have been contacted for further comment.