Hard-nosed vandals are targeting unwitting car owners - by leaving potatoes with dangerous spikes embedded in them under tyres.

The latest trend has been seen as part of a spate of car vandalism sweeping Medway since February.

Vandals are believed to be aiming to puncture the tyres with the sharp spikes.

A warning on Facebook said: "Everyone who lives or parks in Castle Street please be careful: someone has smashed car wing mirrors on one side of the road and, on the other side, they are putting potatoes with spikes under people's tyres."

Now car owners are reaching their wits' end, with the general vandalism spree which started in February claiming its latest victim just days ago.

Then, a window was smashed and a bonnet stolen from a car in Napier Road, Gillingham.

Charleen Meredith, 23, said: “I’m self employed and this has had a massive impact on my work now this week.”

However, residents are not only seeing a series of thefts from their cars, but also a worryingly high amount of mindless vandalism to their vehicles.

Vicki Hanson, 51, Canterbury Street, Gillingham, said: “Twice now I’ve had my mirrors kicked off, always on the pavement side so I guess they just do it as they walk past. Also I had my back window wiper pulled off.

“Mine is not the only car damaged in my road, usually several are done in the same night.”

There have also been numerous accounts of vehicles being keyed and scratched, leaving the owners with unwanted bills.

Kevin Farrell, 65, Napier Road, Gillingham, said: “Someone keyed a line horizontally across my driver side door, now I have to pay over £200 to have it repaired.

“It’s depressing to think that people can just casually inflict this harm to others. I’m sure that the cost to me is not even relevant to them.”

Stephen Carter, 38, Hartington Street, Chatham, was another victim of the vandalism: “I went to my vehicle and there was a long and deep scratch the full length of it.”

“It seems if you have anything new then another person always feels the need to damage it.”

Vehicle crime as a whole has been a problem in Gillingham since the turn of the year.

Mill Road saw seven of these crimes in February alone.

A Kent Police spokesman said at the time they were doing everything they could to put a stop to the crimewave.

Sergeant Adam Duke, Medway Community Safe Unit, said: “We will continue to work hard to identify suspects and get justice for victims of crime.

“Local policing officers are targeting their efforts to deal with theft from vehicles.

"The patrols not only act as a deterrent, but they give officers the opportunity to speak with residents and let them know what they can do to avoid being targeted.”