Valletta residents wake up to find cars destroyed and crashed into on Marsamxett Road

A group of Valletta residents woke up on Friday morning to find their cars practically destroyed in what is clearly a high-speed hit-and-run along the Marsamxett Road.

At least four cars – a Vauxhall Corsa, a Toyota Aigo, a Ford Escort and a Peugeot 107 – were extensively damaged in what must have been a massive impact at high speed, believed to be caused by a band of night street-racers.

The Peugeot 107 suffered extensive damage to the rear axle, shearing off the rear wheel. There was heavy damaged to the doors and panelling, bumpers and lights, as well as the front doors, bumper, panels and wheels after the impact spun the car at 90 degrees, jamming it against the bastion’s retaining wall.

The Ford Escort had extensive damage in the back with the rear booth caved in completely, damage to the rear bumper lights, and extensive damage on the driver’s side and the front axle and bonnet.

The Vauxhall suffered extensive damage to the right side, while the small Toyota suffered lighter damage to the driver’s door.

A group of Valletta residents who spoke to MaltaToday said they will be meeting the community police in a bid to improve police presence in the area. “We know there is some group of joyriders who spend the night racing down the Marsamxett Road and drifting on the ring road. It’s unbelievable that police have never even encountered them,” one resident said.

“The only hope we have to is to get the community police working on this. Otherwise somebody will take the law in their hands.”

Another Valletta resident remarked that it was “impossible” that residents near the Auberge de Baviere would not have heard the impact at night.

Valletta mayor Alfred Zammit acknowledged that the area is notorious for overspeeding at night and said the council had applied for a speed camera to be installed on the road.

But it seems that residents there have been frustrated at the lack of police against anti-social behaviour in Valletta.

The Valletta Residents Revival community group have also complained about arson attacks across the city. “Residents are becoming increasingly wary of the spate of arson attacks on private vehicles in various areas around Valletta,” the group said in a statement.

“We have reached a stage where every day, one hopes to find his car still intact, a situation which is highly nerve-racking. As residents, we would like to voice our concern to the respective authorities and we expect feedback from the police with regard to any investigation that could be ongoing,” the group said.

The first occurred on St Sebastian Street, the ring road leading to Fort St Elmo, on 27 July. A number of parked cars were filmed ablaze on 28 July on Fountain Street. On 5 August, a burning car was reported on St Nicholas Street, at the back of St Dominic’s Basilica. Another car caught fire on 9 August on East Street. Zammit recalled some six or seven incidents of cars catching fire in Valletta since the beginning of the year.

The car of Valletta mayor Alfred Zammit was also set on fire in the dead of the night, after having spoken out over a spate of arson attacks in the capital city. Zammit, a popular TV presenter on One TV, had his car set ablaze just one week after speaking out on series of car fires in different parts of the cities. “A lot of people are terrorised,” Zammit told the Times after Valletta residents reported being worried about their safety and their property over a series of car fires. “This is a situation where everyone is wondering who could be next. It could have affected anyone,” he said.