Fears are growing that someone could be killed after youths in Fife blocked roads in attempts to cause a car crash.
Police have been alerted to a spate of such incidents over the last week in Glenrothes, with reports of youngsters dragging large tree trunks from nearby woodland, road maintenance barriers and traffic cones on to roads.
In one incident a driver who left their car to clear the road was then pelted with stones.
One local resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, said the roadblocks on Magnus Drive at Collydean have been placed close to junctions and bends in the road to try and ambush unsuspecting motorists.
They added: “These deliberate acts, which are an attempt to cause an accident, are both idiotic and very dangerous and someone is going to have a serious crash soon if these incidents don’t stop.
“I saw one motorist get out of the car to remove the debris from the road only to then be pelted with stones by the same youths.
“People confronting those responsible have also been verbally abused and threatened. It’s disgusting.”
The youths have been branded reckless and stupid by police investigating the incidents.
Glenrothes-based Inspector Kirk Donnelly said: “At around 7.30pm on Tuesday, September 3, we received a report that a number of youths were throwing logs onto the road in the Magnus Drive area of Glenrothes.
“When motorists got out to move these items, they were subjected to verbal abuse by those responsible.
“This behaviour is not only reckless but incredibly dangerous and could have resulted in serious injury, had any vehicles failed to see the logs on the road.
“We are conducting local inquiries in the area and parents and guardians are reminded to have frank conversations with young people in their care about the consequences of such stupidity.”
Collydean suffered a raft of similar road obstruction incidents 12 months ago and locals are now calling for more to be done to end the latest wave of anti-social behaviour.
“Someone is going to get inured or killed if this type of mindless and stupid behaviour isn’t stopped immediately,” said Denise Wallace, a member of North Glenrothes Community Council.
“That’s why we are urging residents who witness any incidents to report them to the police without delay so they can act quickly to catch those responsible.
“There is concern among some local people that if they contact the police they then may be targeted too but they can report incidents anonymously.”
