A KIRKHEATON man complained to police about vandals – and ended up in trouble himself.

Pat Baker, 57, had four shotguns confiscated after reporting incidents of damage at his New Road home.

Mr Baker said: “I turned to the police for help.

“Now, I feel like a criminal.

“I don’t have a downer on the police generally, but to be treated like this is unbelievable.”

Mr Baker and his neighbours started experiencing problems with vandals on their street two years ago, but it has escalated over the past 12 months.

The topping stones on his garden wall have been damaged, his greenhouse windows have been smashed and paint has twice been poured on his gate and pavement.

Mr Baker said: “The amount of damage happening here is amazing.

“It seems to happen between 2am and 5am, mainly on weekends.

“I think it’s probably more than one person.”

Mr Baker put up a £1,000 reward for information about the culprits and several people offered names, but refused to make official statements.

Mr Baker said: “I didn’t report the problems to police at first because I didn’t think anything would happen.”

But two weeks ago, he finally decided to report the vandalism.

He received two visits from police community support officers, who took details of the damage.

Mr Baker believes a comment made to them landed him in trouble.

He said: “I said something like, ‘If I get my hands on the little b**gers, I’ll sort them out myself’. I don’t deny saying it. But talk about taking things out of context.”

Police visited Mr Baker’s home on June 10 and confiscated his shotguns, saying he had made a threat of violence.

His four shotguns are all licensed. Two of the guns seized were collector’s items and are not used. The other two are used for clay pigeon shooting.

Mr Baker used to run Valley Gun Club at Kirkheaton and raised thousands of pounds for Kirkwood Hospice with charity shooting matches.

Mr Baker said: “That’s all the guns are used for. I have an archery set, but they didn’t take that. The irony is that I could probably do more damage with that.”

A West Yorkshire Police firearms officer has since visited Mr Baker to make a report.

Mr Baker said the officer told him he thought the police had over-reacted by confiscating his weapons and would recommend the return of the guns.

He said: “It is an over-reaction. In 57 years I haven’t had so much as a parking ticket. I’m careful because things on your record go against you owning firearms.

“I’m so upset about it all.”

He says he and other New Road residents feel angry that the vandals have not been punished.

Mr Baker said: “They’re running riot. But I feel we are being punished.”

He has complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman about the confiscation and is awaiting a response.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed officers visited Mr Baker after the damage report.

He said: “During their visit, the complainant made inappropriate comments which from a licensed shotgun holder could not be ignored. The police have a duty to protect the public and for this reason, the shotguns were seized.”

The spokesman confirmed a Firearms Licensing visited on June 12, but denied he said the police response had been an over-reaction or that he would recommended the return of the weapons.

The spokesman added: “The future of the weapons remains under consideration by Firearms Licensing.”

He said investigations are being carried out into the incidents of damage in the street by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.