Redcar police station vandalised with violent threats

The graffiti was daubed on the front of Redcar police station

A police boss has hit out at "shameful idiots" after violent threats to harm officers were daubed on the entrance of a police station.

The vandalism in Redcar was reported at 0200 GMT on Sunday amid a "busy night" for the Cleveland force.

Police and crime commissioner Steve Turner said the graffiti had to be taken seriously.

"What if tomorrow morning we're mourning the tragic loss of a young police officer?" he said.

Cleveland Police said the writing will be washed off and an investigation has begun.

Its control room received over 1,000 calls overnight as the force dealt with "a considerable number of incidents" on what it dubbed "mischief night".

'Disturbed individual'

Mr Turner praised the efforts of teams who "worked tirelessly" on Saturday night to keep people safe and respond to the "hundreds" of emergency calls that came in.

"They leave their own families to protect us and do so in the knowledge that most people respect them for doing it," he said.

"To then wake up to this makes you question what goes on in the heads of a tiny minority though."

The vandalism - which read "shoot police dead" with a number of swear words - is being investigated by the force and witnesses are being asked to come forward.

"We could write this off as just graffiti, but what if it's not?" Mr Turner added.

"What if this is a disturbed individual who genuinely believes we should "shoot police dead". What if they already have a gun in their possession?"

Steve Turner said the force received hundreds of calls on Saturday night

Cleveland Police reported a 54% increase in calls compared to the same period last weekend, with 490 emergency calls received.

It said officers responded to incidents of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour, with groups of youths hurling missiles at vehicles and causing damage to some businesses and homes.

A number of arrests have been made.