A SPATE of vandalised 4x4 vehicles has sparked fears an eco-fanatic is targeting “gas guzzling” cars in Oxford.

Builder Phillip Bradley has seen his new £25,000 Isuzu attacked outside his home in Osney Island four times, leaving him with a £1,700 repair bill. Over the past fortnight his vehicle has been vandalised twice.

Another 4x4 owner nearby has also had his windscreen of his Toyota Hilux repeatedly smashed since January.

People in Osney Island have been shocked by the level of car vandalism in recent weeks, with the damage always happening at weekends in the early hours of the morning.

But residents are now convinced the vandalism is not random, as 4x4s are suffering the brunt of the attacks.

One owner on Osney Island has now taken to sleeping in his vehicle at night in the hope of catching his tormentor.

And he has also had CCTV cameras put in front of his house.

Mr Bradley said his Isuzu Denver Rodeo was first damaged just two days after he bought it in October, when the windscreen was smashed.

The car had been parked outside his home in West Street.

The latest attack happened on Friday night when the windscreen was again smashed and the bonnet pierced — apparently with a heavy metal spike.

Mr Bradley, a father-of-two who owns the building firm Attics +, said he was disturbed at 4am by a loud smashing noise.

He had been sleeping in the front bedroom of his house to keep watch over his vehicle. But the offender had fled down Swan Street by the time he had rushed to his car.

Mr Bradley said: “I had thought I was the victim of some personal vendetta when if first happened. But then I heard about another guy in East Street having his 4x4 damaged. I don’t believe we are talking about youngsters who have been to the clubs, or the hooded crew. This seems to be someone who is on a mission.

“It is someone who is going to keep on coming back until he is caught.

“My guess is that it’s someone who perceives cars like mine to be a ‘gas guzzler’.

“It isn’t. It actually takes diesel. I bought it because it’s a nice car for the family and I can also use it at work.

“The police have been excellent, patrolling the area.”

The owner of the vandalised Toyota Hilux is Ian Beesley, also a builder, who lives on Ferry Hinksey Road.

Mr Beesley, widely known as Digger, said his car had been parked on only yards from his home when it was vandalised. He also feared a misguided ecologically-minded fanatic was the most likely culprit.

A spokesman for Oxford Police said: “The neighbourhood policing team have increased their patrols in the area and are carrying out investigations to catch those responsible.”

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