A PRISON worker's car windows were smashed by vandals - two weeks after he wrote to police to tell them it was going to happen.

Fred Commons, 58, of Ancress Walk, in Micklegate, wrote to York's neighbourhood policing unit on February 18 to ask them to help, after a spate of vandalism in nearby St Benedict Road, where he parks his car.

He wrote: "Clearly, it is only a matter of time before our car becomes the next target."

When he got up to go to work at Doncaster Prison at 4.40am yesterday, he was proved right.

Thugs had damaged his two-year-old red Seat Ibiza, and at least six other cars in the same road, during the night.

The street was lined with broken glass where windscreens and rear windows had been smashed.

He said: "I only moved to York in December and I thought this was supposed to be a nice area. But it has been plagued by vandals. My car looks like it has been hit with a baseball bat.

"I wrote to the police to ask them to do something about the crime in this area after I read a story about neighbourhood action days in the Evening Press. I asked them to do something to help in our area, but I haven't had a reply, so I'm going to write again."

Inspector Colin Moreton, of the neighbourhood policing unit, said he had seen the letter and that one of his colleagues would reply. He said action was being taken to address Mr Commons' concerns.

"We know there has been an issue in that area," he said.

"It has been picked up in our daily tasking meetings and is being addressed. Auto crime is one of our biggest headaches at the moment."

Mr Commons said there had been several cases of smashed windows, and thugs had even been seen dancing on top of cars in recent months. Fences and trellises had also been knocked over.

Mr Commons has now asked York council to help him find somewhere else to park his car.

Police were called to reports of cars being vandalised at about midnight. A police spokesman confirmed that they were investigating damage to at least six vehicles on Wednesday night.

Mr Commons' neighbour, who did not want to be named, said his car had not been damaged - because he now parks it in a different street after his widows were smashed in three months ago.

He said: "My wife heard bangs and thought it was gunshots, but she wasn't sure. We looked out of the window but there was no sign of anyone. A policeman told us they might have used an air rifle."

Anyone with information is asked to phone police on 0845 60 60 247.

Updated: 09:49 Friday, March 03, 2006