Matt catalogues road sign shootings

ROAD signs are peppered with bullet holes but no one seems to know anything about it.

Matt Seiber has been investigating the phenomenon around the UK for the past five years, and has set up a website and written a book on the subject.

And he said the Midlands was one of the most targeted regions in the country with the A425 near Staverton among one of the worst affected roads.

Matt, who as a corporate trainer travels the country giving specialist driving courses, told us he first noticed evidence of shot up signs on British soil while serving as a Royal Marine in Northern Ireland in the 1980s.

And in 2008 he found three locations in South Yorkshire in a single day which sparked his fascination and led him to to set up the website, gunfire-graffiti.co.uk, and record just how common such shootings were.

Matt said he had spoken with local highway authorities and police but no-one had acknowledged the extent of the damaged signs.

Highways chiefs around the country have simply told him contractors replace damaged signs, while police have even gone as far as to blame youngsters with catapults for the damage.

"I have got no reaction whatsoever from local authorities or police - just a pregnant pause," said Matt, who himself has enjoyed responsible sports shooting since the 1960s.

"I don't know who the perpetrators are, or if they are using legal or illegal guns.

"What I do know is these are not isolated or one off incidents, and the damage is certainly not caused by airguns but firearms with real bullets."

Matt said there had been examples of people getting caught in the cross-fire and injured, and calculated a bullet shot through a sign near Bishops Tachbrook had the power to travel a further mile and still kill.

And he had his own theories as to why road signs were used for target practise.

"Road signs and roadside structures are secure, fixed features offering large easily acquired target areas. The steel/alloy construction of road signs provide hard resistance and the penetrative force of bullets and shot can be easily assessed.

"There is a noticeable fascination to the result of close range shotgun blast. A large proportion of weapon discharges are from the confines of vehicles, which mask the action, provide concealment and mobility and collect spent cartridge cases.

"I'm not campaigning, I just find it fascinating that's it's all around yet nobody seems to know anything about it."

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