POLICE chased a number of youths this morning after they'd smashed the windows of 12 separate cars at a train station car park.

The perpetrators took 10 minutes to do all 12 cars in the early hours of this morning at Apperley Bridge Railway Station according to a spokesperson for British Transport Police (BTP) at the scene today.  

A police helicopter was also used to try track the youths after they fled the scene.

This follows anger in May when five cars had their windows smashed at the exact same location. 

Apperley Bridge station car park has been a hotspot for vehicle crime ever since it opened in 2015.

Many of the cars were Volkswagens, which didn't surprise the attending officer this morning as those types of cars are often targeted due to their integrated entertainment systems.

It is thought theft of these systems is motivated by an urban myth that when used in a Sky Box it allows free service.

One of the affected cars was an £80,000 Jaguar. 

Harrison Kyne, 26, of Idle was one of the victims turning up to find his Mini Cooper with a smashed window.

He said: "I had a bad feeling about leaving my car here last night.

"It's just annoying and inconvenient because I'm stranded now and I was meant to be going to watch the England match later."

The left-hand, front window of the Mini was completely smashed, but the perpetrators didn't take Mr Kyne's £200 Ralph Lauren jacket that was sitting on a backseat.

Mother, Helen Donkin, 37, of Apperley Bridge had the windows on her BMW smashed but didn't know until she got there to pick her car up.

She said: "I'm shocked and I'm surprised I wasn't called.

"It's the practicality that's annoying - I'm lucky I've got my friend with me, but I can't put my boy in there. There's glass on his car seat and there's no one to help get the glass up."

Mrs Donkin added: "It's more that it's ruined my day - I'm meant to be taking my son out."

The BTP spokesperson at the scene said they couldn't say for sure, but believe the youths to be those who have committed this crime before.

They said: "If it's them, they're in our sights for other stuff as well."

More to follow...