A number of Swieqi residents had a rude wakeup call yesterday morning as they found at least eight car tyres slashed by vandals.

David Delicata found two tyres on the passenger side of his Alfa Romeo slashed; the car was parked close to his house in Triq il-Ħemel.

“It’s not the first time that our cars have been vandalised – a side mirror was broken off in the past and the paintwork scratched from front to back,” he said.

Residents of Il-Ħemel and Swieqi road, two busy streets, were being targeted.

“People are always passing by at all times of the night – drunk or shouting. During winter, weekends are the worst but in summer it will become a daily occurrence,” he said.

Another two residents from Triq il-Ħemel, Jean and Lucienne Gaffiero, found four tyres slashed on their three cars.

“It is extremely aggravating – you leave the house and find you can’t go anywhere because your tyres are cut,” Ms Gaffiero said.

Both families have filed a police report and told the council. They also called for police to be around – especially at night.

Around 22 cars were vandalised in those roads within a month said Swieqi deputy mayor Justin Fenech, who condemned the vandalism and urged all those who were affected to tell the council and police. The council has been pushing for more police patrols in the area for a long time.

“The very presence of police officers in those two roads, which are very busy, would make a difference,” he said.

Dr Fenech said the council had been promised a bigger police presence on the road but “we need to see them”.

Swieqi is meant to have its own police station, to be housed at the Swieqi Civic Centre, but this has remained closed, despite being officially inaugurated by former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi last year.