Vandals attack police van attending sudden death in Preston

A window on a police van was smashed by vandals in Preston while officers attended reports of a sudden death, say police.

Police were called to reports that a man in his 30s had died suddenly at a flat on Church Street at around 10.30pm on Tuesday, May 15.

The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been passed to the coroner, police confirmed.

Officers say that while they attended the incident, vandals attacked their van and smashed a window using a blunt object.

On returning to the vehicle, police say they found that the window had been damaged forcing the emergency vehicle to be taken off the road.

Police published an image of the smashed window to social media with the stern warning that damaging a vehicle in this way could cost lives.

A spokesman for the police said: "Officers parked the van on Church Street close to the Minster whilst attending reports of a sudden death, the van remained there while the report was being dealt with.

"On their return police found this damage which is suspected to have been done by a hammer or similar blunt object.

"Not only does this take a much needed emergency vehicle off the road, it also takes officers time to investigate and costs money to repair.

"Damaging any emergency vehicle isn't big or clever and in the worst case scenario it could cost lives.

"We'll be checking CCTV in the area, if anyone happened to be in the Church Street area between 11pm and 2.30am on Tuesday evening and saw anything please call police.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting LC-20180516-0114 or pass information online via http://socsi.in/gefjF

Information can be given to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111