Criminal Damage
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Don't do damage campaign
Criminal damage blights neighbourhoods and causes misery for innocent people whose property has been damaged. Safe Newcastle and partners, including Newcastle City Council and Northumbria Police are cracking down on criminal damage as part of the Don't do damage campaign.
What is criminal damage
Damage to private and public property is called criminal damage. This includes:
- smashing windows
- vandalising cars
- slashed tyres
- graffitied park benches
- shattered bus shelters
- throwing stones
- etched bus windows
Criminal damage - the facts
- criminal damage is the biggest volume crime in Newcastle
- two-thirds of offenders are aged 21 or under
- most offences are committed on the spur of the moment
- 23% of people who committed vandalism said boredom was the cause
- in 60% of cases, more than one person was responsible
- alcohol is often a factor in criminal damage cases
- most people don't realise criminal damage is a criminal offence
- criminal damage is taken seriously by the police
Consequences of criminal damage
Most people do not realise the serious consequences of committing criminal damage. You could:
- be cautioned, arrested or charged
- given conditional bail conditions which could stop you from hanging around with your friends, not allowed out at night or even evicted from your home
- be signed up to an Acceptable Behaviour Agreement (ABA)
- be given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)
- repeat offenders who received a warning in the past for criminal damage, will automatically be charged
