VANDALS wielding paint stripper have caused damage costing thousands of pounds to a York businessman's vehicles.

David Grierson, 54, who has run Green Lane Carpets, Acomb, for 20 years, was shocked to discover his van and personal car had been attacked overnight.

Attackers tipped powerful chemicals over the two vehicles as they were parked in The Gateway Church car park, in Front Street, just yards from his business.

Police have asked residents and people who may have been in the area late at night to phone 0845 60 60 24 7 if they saw anything suspicious.

PC Hamish Halloway said officers were checking CCTV footage from surrounding streets and shops to see if there are any clues to the identities of the culprits.

Mr Grierson said his insurers were assessing the cost of the damage, but the total bill is expected to run into thousands of pounds.

He said: "It looks like a full respray job to take all the bits off and get it sorted out. It looks like my vehicles have been singled out, because there were other cars there which haven't been touched.

"The car looks very flash, I suppose. It was a nice looking motor car. I usually park the van either side of the car so that it can't be stolen. It's just jealousy I think, I really do."

Mr Grierson said he was the victim of another crime when his van was broken into and vandalised in November.

He said that incident may have been linked to a row he had with some youths he caught throwing stones at it, but he said he had no idea what was behind the latest attack, which occurred on Tuesday night.

Mr Grierson criticised what he said was a lack of policing in Acomb late at night. He said: "I want to see more of a police presence in Acomb. They are just letting it run riot, to be honest.

"We have so many problems. I appreciate it's difficult to protect a car, but sometimes it seems like they don't protect anything."

Sergeant Rick Ball said the Acomb and Holgate neighbour-hood team was being increased to include two PCs, two community support officers and up to two special constables.

He said North Yorkshire Police was committed to specialist teams with specific areas of responsibility, and officers would dedicate at least 80 per cent of the working time to their beat.

Last month, the Evening Press reported that Huntington resident Bill Macpherson offered a reward of £500 to help catch the person behind a white paint attack on his blue Peugeot 306.

The car was splashed with paint while it was parked outside the 49-year-old company director's home in North Moor Road. It was the third time it had been subjected to vandalism in two years.

Updated: 10:14 Thursday, April 14, 2005