Vigilante wrecking parking meters in sleepy seaside town with glue and foam has evaded police for six months

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At least thirty machines have been damaged in North Berwick, Scotland, at an estimated repair cost of £59,000, since their installation on behalf of the local council at the end of February.

They were introduced despite vocal opposition from members of the local community who claimed charges and time limits would damage businesses with reduced high street footfall and impact residents.

And while the by-the-book campaign to reverse the decision has continued, it appears somebody has lost patience and decided to take matters into their own hands.

Dozens of machines have now been damaged in suspected overnight attacks where, under the cover of darkness, expanding foam and superglue has been used to cause severe damage.

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Some have been left looking as if they’re covered in white paint as a result with keypad buttons and car readers broken, while others have coins firmly glued into blocked slots.

Machines outside bungalows, tearooms and on the beachfront have all been targeted in several spates of incidents, and LBC visited one street where three machines within around 75 yards of each other had been hit.

A resident there told us: “It's obviously been done under the cover of darkness.

"I'm not sure who's responsible but there's a very strong feeling of injustice within North Berwick and its residents.

"It seems to be a bit of a cat and mouse situation trying to catch up with the perpetrator."

Police confirmed they were investigating the vandalism after the first wave in February vowing "it would not be tolerated and those responsible will be held accountable".

But six months and several incidents later there has been no update and no word of any arrests.

LBC hit the streets of the town to see if we could uncover any information about who is doing this.

One local - who denied being the vigilante himself - told us: "It could be anyone. Good on them.

"I don't think the parking rules are right. People are getting tickets for being an inch over the line.

"This is quite an affluent street and it could be someone here. I don't think it's kids doing this. It could be anybody. I'd certainly do it".

Speculating on the vandal's identity other residents told us they pictured "an angry man" and "an ordinary member of the public who is sick of the rules", while visitors to the area branded their behaviour "a disgrace" and "very bad news".

Another local told us: "I don't know who it would it be. But people are angry and I do know that we were talking to one of the shops up the high street who had said that they had lost 50 customers a day since it started."

A pensioner on the High Street said: "I don't know who they are but I somewhat sympathise with them.

"I personally have not gone around and vandalised meters because I'm 85 and I really think I'm past that.

"It could have been everybody. North Berwick's not usually a hotspot for crime, but people do feel very strongly about this."

LBC also contacted John Wellwood of the local community council and a key figure leading the campaign to scrap the parking rules.

He condemned the vandlaism and agreed it was surprising the culprit had managed to stay off the radar, telling us: "The amazing thing is, normally in a town this size, there's a wee bit of chat. But there's absolutely nothing.

"We've no idea, absolutely no idea, which is quite remarkable. So the person or persons who are doing it must be doing it stealth-like in the middle of the night or whatever when they did it.

"That's all we kind of know."

IPS UK, the firm which installed the machines for the local authority, has also described the vandalism as "totally extraordinary".

Speaking to LBC, their Managing Director Freddie Jones was keen to highlight the importance of concerns being listened to and a resolution being found.

He said: "Whether it's super glue or expanding foam or all sorts of things, the important thing is to kind of recognise that that is done because of a frustration or somebody feels that they're not being taken seriously or listened to.

"And in this particular set of circumstances, it is profound and therefore it needs to be listened to and needs to be worked through. Because there is a solution to this, right? We live in a world full of hope not fear. We live in a world where we can build bridges and repair complex situations.

"And this is something that can be worked through in, I'd imagine a still challenging, but a very hopeful manner. "

Spokespeople for East Lothian Council have said:  "While we understand the views of people opposed to the scheme, vandalism can never be tolerated and these actions have only created additional costs to be borne by communities in East Lothian and reduced the positive impacts that the parking income could deliver.

"Unfortunately, the expense of repairing or replacing damaged units will need to come from existing budgets and would otherwise have been spent on providing vital public services.

“This vandalism will not prevent the implementation of better parking management measures in North Berwick. While we understand the views of people who are opposed to the introduction of parking charges, these actions have only increased costs and reduced the positive impacts that the income could deliver.

“We would encourage anyone with information regarding the vandalism to contact Police Scotland on 101.”

The council has agreed to an independent review which will examine the parking scheme's impact on businesses, tourism and the community.

We've asked Police Scotland several times for an updated comment with no response.