POLICE have turned to News Shopper's award-winning Shop A Yob campaign in an attempt to track down bus vandals.
Officers working on Operation Bustag a scheme run by the Met Police and Transport for London aimed at clamping down on bus yobs believe News Shopper readers hold the key to catching these youths.
Bexleyheath police's Detective Inspector Kurt Conroy is co-ordinating the latest Bustag initiative in the borough.
He said: "We are releasing these images because some of these kids have not been through the criminal process before and we want the public to help us identify them.
"These kids were caught on our on-board CCTV committing criminal damage on the buses.
"They use implements to scratch tags and slogans onto the bus windows, destroy bus seats by slashing them and setting them alight and generally cost the bus companies thousands of pounds."
Det Insp Conroy says most offenders are under the age of 18, with the most active age group being between 13 and 16.
He said: "These are kids from all walks of life.
"Some of them are from very good backgrounds and a lot of this could be peer pressure.
"They are on the cusp of criminality. By nipping this in the bud we are trying to prevent further criminality.
"I would tell these kids to stop and think before they do it.
"If they are caught there is a possibility they will be prosecuted through the courts and receive a criminal record.
He added: "It's just not worth it when you consider how a criminal record can affect you in later life.
"Our previous partnerships with News Shopper have had tremendous results in arresting and preventing further large-scale criminal damage.
"I am inviting readers to look at these pictures and see if they recognise any of these kids."
If you know any of the yobs caught on CCTV in Bexley, call Operation Bustag on 0771 284 3299, quoting the number on the picture, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Shop A Yob, which was launched in 2001, has seen bus crime fall by up to 80 per cent in some of the areas featured.
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