Horse and dog units have been called in to assist officers patrolling High Wycombe following the spate of car attacks in the area, which are believed to have exceeded 200 vehicles.

The BFP joined officers on patrol this week. Horse and dog units assisted those patrolling on foot and in vehicles around Cressex and Booker.

PC Andy Smith, from High Wycombe Police Station, has been with the force for 28 years.

Bucks Free Press:

One of the cars damaged in the first night of attacks.

He said that police have significantly increased their presence in the area, with up to 15 officers patrolling the beat where there would often just be two.

PC Smith was on duty the night of the first attacks, many of which targeted staff vehicles in the John Lewis carpark.

Police believed the early attacks could have been linked to the outcome of an inquest into Habib Ullah, who died in police custody.

Vehicles had their windows smashed and the letters “NJNP” - believed to stand for “No Justice No Peace” - sprayed on the paintwork. 

PC Smith said: “It is unprecedented. In 28 years I have never gone to something like that where a whole line of cars have been damaged.

“You just feel sorry for them [the victims] because we all own cars... we really do feel for them.”

On Tuesday, Thames Valley Police held a meeting for those affected by the criminal damage. PC Smith said the reaction at the meeting was “very positive”.

He added: “Everybody appreciated the position that we were in because it’s completely random.”

Eight people from the Wycombe area have been arrested and released on police bail.

Those arrested and bailed include a 17-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man, two 19-year-olds, a 20-year-old man, a 22-year-old man, a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old man.

Police advise residents to park their cars on their drives, if they have one, and to report anything suspicious if you see people lurking on the streets and looking at cars.

PC Smith said: “With this it’s all about us being in the right place at the fight time. It’s like fishing, you can put your line in the water but if there are no fish there you aren’t going to catch them.”

Councillor Brian Pearce, Wycombe District Council representative, said he has been “reassured by the high volume of police presence” he has seen.

The UKIP politicians said: “I can assure local residents that Thames Valley Police are doing everything they possibly can to rectify the situation, with a high visible police presence and a large number of detectives investigating.

“The police are actively pursuing the perpetrators of this dastardly crime.”

Police would like to speak to three people in relation to attacks on vehicles in High Wycombe on Saturday and Monday.

To view the BFP’s comments policy, click here.