A war between Chinese Triad gangs could be behind a spate of attacks which has seen properties across Britain splattered with red and black paint.
Residents of Lowfield Road in Kilburn, north-west London, were left ‘traumatised’ earlier this week when they awoke to find their homes looking like a ‘murder scene’.
Some seven properties had been covered by splashes of paint – with the word ‘brothel’ daubed in red across the front of one basement flat.
It came amid a crime wave which has seen British properties spray-painted in mysterious nighttime attacks.
Three years ago, homes on Maygrove Road and Iverson Road, in the same NW6 postcode as Lowfield Road, were targeted while incidents have also been reported in Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, Reading and Huddersfield.
Experts have now suggested that the attacks could be linked to gang-related conflicts, in particular those involving Chinese groups.
It is thought that some of the homes smeared with paint could be being used as bases for criminal activity, such as housing sex workers, with local gangs vying to drive these rival groups off their turf.
University of Birmingham professor Oliver Chan said red paint is routinely used by Triad gangs in southern parts of China and Hong Kong.
He told The Times: ‘Traditionally the use of red colour symbolises anger and impulsion. It can serve two primary purposes – to intimidate rival gangs who seem to operate in their territory or turf, and and to threaten debtors who are unable to pay up.’
The Metropolitan Police are also investigating whether Chinese criminals could be behind the vandalism, according to The Telegraph.
The most recent attack in the capital is expected to cost thousands of pounds to clean up, with some seven properties effected. However the criminals’ prime target was said to be a basement flat.
One neighbour said that in the weeks before the incident, there were ‘lots of comings and goings’ at the residence before two people were spotted fleeing out the back garden.
The resident, who preferred not to be named, told The Telegraph: ‘A couple of weeks ago an older Asian couple arrived and it was quite strange because the first thing they did was put black bin bags over the windows. It wasn’t really clear what was going on inside but it all felt a little bit dodgy.
‘A few days ago they placed a ladder against the back fence in the garden, which seemed a bit odd. Following the paint attack a group of residents knocked on the door of the basement flat to try to speak to the people staying there as it seemed that property was the one that was being targeted.
‘Unsurprisingly, there was no answer, but then some of the neighbours saw two people climbing over the ladder in the back garden so it now looks like it was being used as some sort of escape route.’
Another neighbour who was outside cleaning the paint off her walls said she had been left ‘traumatised’ by the ordeal – which had left a Magnolia tree she planted following the pandemic covered in red paint.
The woman said: ‘I just don’t want something like this to happen to other people, or myself really.
‘Things like this shouldn’t happen in the first place. It’s sad that people can’t respect each other in London very much.’
Another neighbour said: ‘It’s crazy. Apparently this has been happening around London a lot when people owe money.
‘We scrubbed the words ‘brothel’ on some of the walls’.’
While one resident whose home managed to avoid being splashed by paint, added: ‘They’ve ruined seven houses, and people are going to have to pay for that.
‘We got away with it, luckily, but these guys have it all over.
‘All the articles are saying it’s triads, and Chinese – the people that live there are Asian, and all the articles from all the previous incidents says black and red paint is a triad thing.’
Residents said they had contacted Camden Council following the attack, but were told the authority would not be able to help with the clean up.
Since then, workers from a contractor headquartered on the street – Treehab Arboricultural – have been painting over the damage for their neighbours free of charge.
One of the company’s workers said: ‘It doesn’t faze me.
‘I’m here to change it and help, to bring it back, but this is going to happen again in many places.’
Last month, audible CCTV from an attack in Acton, West London, provided the clearest clue yet of who is responsible for the vandalism.
The video shows a man using a hammer to smash the windows of a property as two associates deface it with pots of paint and motor oil.
CCTV obtained by London Centric for the first time recorded the vandals speaking in Mandarin with accents associated with northern China.
There is no evidence to suggest the people living in the targeted houses are running brothels or are in debt to loan sharks.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said detectives are investigation the latest incident in north London.
‘Police in Camden are investigating an allegation of criminal damage after paint was thrown at neighbouring residential properties in Lowfield Road,’ a statement read.
‘The incident is believed to have taken place on the night of Tuesday, 14 April. Inquiries are ongoing by local police.
‘At this early stage we retain an open mind regarding any motive. We recognise the impact that incidents of this nature have on those affected and will be contacting the victims in due course.’
