Eastern European cars vandalised in Bognor 'hate crime'
More than a dozen cars with Eastern European number plates or owners have been deliberately targeted in a spate of vandalism in West Sussex.
Police said yellow paint was sprayed on 14 vehicles parked in residential roads in Bognor Regis overnight on Tuesday.
Detectives are treating the damage as a hate crime against the large number of Eastern Europeans living in the area.
"There are many vulnerable people within this community," said Temporary Chief Inspector Pip Taylor.
"It would appear that the offender - or offenders - deliberately targeted vehicles belonging to Eastern Europeans."
Police have delivered leaflets in the area in English and Polish to reassure residents and have stepped up patrols.
Arun District Council estimated last year that 6,000 Eastern Europeans were living in the area, which has a population of 150,000.
Anyone with information about the vandalism in Bognor has been asked to come forward.