Desperate to find an answer, Maitland Mayor Peter Blackmore phoned Central Hunter police commander Superintendent Des Organ.

“I want to see this stopped,” Cr Blackmore told Supt Organ.

And the mayor said he got an assurance from the commander that he had a “number of issues in hand.”

But more talking was not what the mall traders wanted to hear. In the wake of the latest spate of vandalism and theft that has cost several thousand dollars, the victims were:

* Strandbags – shop window smashed and eight bags and five wallets stolen

* Red Cross – panel and door wrecked

* Absolutely Gorgeous – broken into

* Homeart – glass door smashed after sign wrecked last weekend

* Maitland French Hotbread – front door smashed for the second weekend

* Maitland Posters, Photocopying and Laminating Services – sign broken, and

* Plates Real Food in Bulwer Street – shop damaged and food stolen.

“The value of our property stolen is about $2000, apart from the cost of repairing the window,” Strandbags employee Louise Guthrie said.

“Things here are definitely getting worse. There is only security in this mall until about 2pm each afternoon and when we close at night, it is quite scary.

“You can see people hanging around like vultures.”

Repairs to the front door of the French Bread Shop will cost $294, owner Thuy Nguyen said.

“That’s the same price we paid for the same damage to the same door last week,” she said.

The biggest insult was paid to Plates Real Food in Bulwer Street, where intruders broke in, then stole food and drink and held their own feast.

“We had boarded up our shop after a break-in on Sunday,” owner Tony Pharlston said.

“But they came in again, stealing cola, rare roast beef, pork and ginger beer. Then they sat down in our shop and had a party on our fare.”

Several traders said it was fine for police to parade down the mall on horses and bicycles during the day, but they asked: “Where are the police at night, when the pubs shut and police are really needed?”

Cr Blackmore said he had asked police to increase patrols in the mall after the hotels closed.

“I have also spoken to the new CBD manager and asked him to call a meeting of traders to hear their concerns,” he said.

“I believe this behaviour in the mall is definitely a social problem, fuelled by alcohol and possibly drugs.

“And the answer must lie in all parties involved getting together to sort it out.”