Germany, UK: Speed Cameras Smashed and Burned

Article: Germany, UK: Speed Cameras Smashed and Burned

Vigilantes burned a speed camera housing in Dorset, England last Tuesday at around 3am. A gasoline-filled tire was used to set the camera housing near the Bear Cross on fire, the Bournemouth Daily Echo reported. Officials claimed the camera housing was empty. Police have no idea who might be responsible.

Three of the five new column-mounted speed camera locations in Boeblingen, Germany were attacked last week. According to Stuttgarter Zeitung, only two of the city's camera locations contain the expensive photographic and laser equipment at any given time. Vigilantes smashed or removed the columns, but did not hit the sensitive electronics, according to police. Camera locations on Maurener Way, Sindelfinger Street and Tubingen Street were hit. The municipality pays about 75,000 Euros (US $100,000) to install each of the column-mounted speed camera devices.

Vigilantes in Osnabruck were able to destroy an older style of traffic camera last week. The device located on the B51 at Ostercappeln was first smashed with a hammer on January 23 at around 11pm and a 48-year-old man was taken into custody as a suspect. Last Monday, however, someone finished the job by setting the automated ticketing machine on fire, Osnabrucker Zeitung reported. The camera has been attacked a number of times since it was installed. In May 2006, the device was ripped out of the ground with a chain. In July 2006 and June 2009 it was smashed with a hammer. Source