Death warning after second speed camera wrecked in Scottish Borders
POLICE have warned that whoever vandalised a speed camera on A68 in the Borders could have been killed or seriously injured, writes Bob Burgess.
A saw was used to remove the entire camera housing on a pole at Birkenside just north of Earlston between Sunday night and Monday morning.
The Birkenside attack follows a similar one in April on a camera mounted at Headshaws near Oxton.
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police warned: “The actual instance of vandalism is highly dangerous to the person causing the destruction as they could be electrocuted.
“And what is left is hazardous to other people who come close to the equipment as it is live.”
Drivers put at risk – warning
Cameras are located at spots with a history of crashes and speeding. Police say that since they were installed fatal and serious collisions have halved and injury incidents fallen by a third.
The vandalism has been condemned by Councillor Donald Moffat who has responsibility for community safety on Scottish Borders Council.
He commented: “If a camera has been installed at a specific location, it is there for a very good reason - to prevent accidents and deter motorists from speeding.
“The person who has carried out this dangerous act, twice now, is putting everyone who uses the A68 at a greater risk of being involved in what could be a serious collision.”
Inspector Brian Macfarlane of Lothian and Borders Police said they were taking the attacks seriously and appealed for witnesses.
He said: “It could be that a passing motorist witnessed what they thought was a maintenance vehicle servicing the cameras.”
Police say the Birkenside cameras was wrecked between 8.30pm on Sunday and 6.19am on Monday.
The Headshaw attack took place between 3.45pm on July 8 and 9.20pm the following day.
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Weather for Selkirk
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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