Elderly vandal caught on camera keying Mercedes 'could be behind 20 other attacks'

A mystery vandal who doctors believe has been terrorising their practice for two years has been caught on camera – and he’s older than they expected. Since November 2013, there has been 20 incidents at Bay Tree Medical Centre in Collier Row, north-east London, of paint being thrown up the wall and on workers’ cars, which have also been keyed.



Dr Velautham Kuhan, who has owned the surgery with Dr Mazhar Mahmood since 1999, believes it is a targeted onslaught of vandalism but has no idea why it is happening. CCTV was installed after the first incident to act as a deterrent. It didn’t work, but on Monday cameras caught a man carrying out attacks in the usual trend.





He wore a hat and beige clothing and carried a bag, but it was his age which shocked doctors and police officers. “We think he’s about 60,” said Dr Kuhan. “I was surprised, we thought it would be kids.” He added: “He’s so brazen.” Footage shows the man walking towards the surgery, squirting paint along the side of a receptionist’s silver Mercedes and walking off. He then returns minutes later wearing a black glove and scratches the bonnet of the same car.


YouTube link.

“Having your place of work covered in paint is not very nice,” said Dr Kuhan. “It seems very planned, we’re being targeted. We have no idea who it is, or why we are being targeted. It’s affected morale. One girl even left because her car was keyed twice.” Dr Kuhan said patients often wonder why paint is splattered across the front of the building, but after decorating it once and being attacked again within days, he and Dr Mahmood have decided not to bother. Anyone who recognises the elderly vandal is asked to call police.