Updated at 4.50pm
Graffiti has been sprayed cars, shops and houses in a stretch of Sliema, in the most recent case of vandalism in the area.
Residents sent pictures of the damage at Nicolo Isouard street to Times of Malta, complaining that similar graffiti has been seen elsewhere.
The town’s local council publicly condemned the unknown vandals some time later in a post on Facebook.
It later posted an image of the suspected vandal. The image was taken from CCTV camera footage belonging to one of the vandalised shops and showed a shirtless man holding a white t-shirt. The camera timestamp marked 12.45am.
"This youth has been identified as the vandal who spray painted vehicles and properties in many Sliema streets last night," the council said. It urged anyone with information about him to contact local police on 22943351.
That prompted residents to share their own photos of similar spray-painted markings, commonly known as ‘tags’, in the area.
A car bonnet, shops signs and walls of buildings were all defaced with the black tags, with locals reporting similar vandalism on Manuel Dimech street, High Street, Tower Road and Rudolph Street.
One of the shop signs which vandals spray-painted. Photo: Facebook“I honestly hope the police start going round our neighbourhood both in their cars and on foot to deter criminality. Their presence is paramount in the combating of crime,” one resident wrote, in a comment that echoed the sentiment of many others.
The incident has been reported to police.