Yahoo News Surrey Police issues warning to parents after 'sickening' catapult attacks
Surrey Police have issued a warning to parents are catapult attacks. The force are calling on parents to search through their children’s bags and bedrooms after an alleged catapult attack killed a duck in New Haw this week.
On Tuesday evening (June 11) a dog walker saw two young persons aged 12 to 13 in black tracksuits appear to fire a catapult and kill a duck on the canal towpath near to Scotland Bridge Lock.
The report has led the police to urge parents, guardians and teachers to look and listen out for behaviour like this in social media, as well as to check bags and bedrooms for paraphernalia.
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Posting on Facebook the police said that “sickening images of wild birds enduring agonising deaths are frequently shared on social media. This behaviour MUST STOP immediately.” SurreyLive has reported on issues with catapults in the past. Incidents have Godstone, Ewell Court Park and Bourne Hall Park, and are linked to the injuries and deaths of several birds. In one quiet Surrey village it was called a catapulting 'epidemic' after a funeral became the latest target.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects wild animals, plants and habitats. Under section 1(1) (a) of this act it is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird.
As well as hurting animals, catapults can cause damage to property.According to Police there are very few legitimate uses for catapults.
Officers ask that anyone with knowledge of young people actively taking part in killing birds send them names and school details on a direct message to the Runnymede Beat Facebook page.
Members of the public are encouraged to call 999 immediately is they see anyone using a catapult. The Police recommend using WhatThreeWords to help provide an accurate location so that police can attend and deal with any offences on site. This will also help them organise where to go in areas that can be quite large.
The police thanked any informants in advance, and said they would adapt patrol plans to include areas where incidents had been reported.
The latest news comes as, elsewhere, five dead dogs and foxes have been found floating in a garden pond at a home in Epsom. The RSPCA is investigating after a man found the bodies.
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