Several road signs in Fraserburgh have been tampered with over recent days, causing confusion for motorists and prompting a police investigation. Aberdeenshire Council condemns the actions, warning of the safety risks posed by such vandalism.
Motorists in Fraserburgh have been left confused after vandals tampered with multiple road signs across the town in recent days. The incidents, which took place over the past two days, involved the unscrewing and removal of signs from their original locations, with some then being attached to other signs, causing driver misdirection.
The acts of vandalism occurred at various sites including South Road and South Harbour Road, as evidenced by photographs shared on social media. While some social media users found humour in the altered signs, others expressed concern, highlighting that such "jokes" could potentially lead to accidents.
Aberdeenshire Council has strongly criticised those responsible, labelling them "wanton vandals." A council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of a number of road signs having been removed from locations in and around Fraserburgh and securely affixed with bolts and screws to other signage causing damage. While this may have seemed like a harmless bit of fun, obscuring legal road signs poses a serious safety risk to road users. Additionally, this wanton vandalism will take time and money to rectify. The matter has now been formally reported to police and we would ask that anyone with information contacts them immediately.”
Police were informed of the situation on Monday and have since completed their initial lines of inquiry. They are now appealing to the public for assistance in identifying those responsible. Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 or pass details anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555111.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative reports recent events that occurred over the past two days, with police inquiries initiated on the Monday prior to publication. No outdated references or recycled content detected. The local council's statement and police involvement suggest timely reporting.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quotes attributed to the Aberdeenshire Council spokesperson appear original, coming directly from local authority remarks regarding the vandalism. No earlier or alternative sources for these specific quotes were found, indicating they are likely first-hand statements.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is from the Press and Journal, a well-established regional news outlet in Scotland known for local news coverage. It is generally reliable for community news, though not a global mainstream media giant.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about vandalised road signs causing confusion and the police investigation are plausible and consistent with typical responses to such incidents. No extraordinary or unverifiable claims are made.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative presents a fresh and plausible account of recent local vandalism with original quotes from official sources. It originates from a reputable regional news outlet with a credible track record. No indications of outdated information or unverifiable claims were found.
