GRAFFITI yobs are being hunted after Nazi symbols were daubed on cars and homes.

Shocked residents discovered the disturbing vandalism early in the morning.

A graffiti tag was sprayed on the ground and the targeted property appears to have been selected at random in Gilbert Close, Popley, Basingstoke.

George Hakim, 57, who has lived on the road for 34 years, had a swastika sprayed on his front door.

He said: "I think it was probably just a gang of youths. Only certain houses were targeted."

Sharon Wallace, 40, another resident, said: "My husband phoned me at 7.30am to tell me to go and check my car as he had seen that some had been sprayed on his way to work.

"Mine was all right but I noticed that my neighbour's car had a line on the back of it and, when I walked up the road, I saw that others were sprayed too."

Frank Anderson, 55, whose Peugeot car was the most badly-damaged, said: "It is the first time for a few years that we have had any problems here."

Pc Nicola Epps, of Basingstoke police, said: "The incident appears to have happened in the early hours of the morning, as the paint was still wet at 7.20am.

"Those responsible seem to have started at one end of the road and run out of paint before they reached the other.

"It appears as though houses and vehicles were targeted at random, so we don't believe there is any racial motive to the vandalism, but we will do our best to find those responsible."

Some of the residents managed to wash the paint off of their vehicles before it dried on the morning of the attacks, which happened last Wednesday.

Anyone with information about the vandalism should contact Basingstoke police on 0845 045 4545 or call the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.

First published: Tuesday, May 2, 2006