Police are advising owners of SUV and 4X4 vehicles to park on driveways when possible, in an attempt to safeguard their motors from being targeted by a group of activists.
Avon and Somerset Police's neighbourhood team in Stoke Bishop issued a statement yesterday (May 26) saying that vehicles in that the more 'affluent areas' of the city are being targeted.
It stated: "We have been made aware of a group of activists who call themselves the Tyre Extinguishers. This group target SUV & 4X4 type vehicles and will deflate the tyres on these, causing a nuisance to the owner to reflate the tyre.
Read more: Bristol traffic updates LIVE as Stagecoach announces cancellations
"At present, they are mainly operating in the Clifton, Redland, Cotham and Stoke Bishop area as these are affluent areas. Advice from the police at the moment is to report any incidents to us, even if no crime has been committed, it is good for us to log the incidents so we can see patterns in behaviour.
"You can purchase anti-theft dust caps which will ensure this group cannot deflate your tyre in the future. If you have a driveway, park your vehicle there instead of on the road."
The Tyre Extinguishers shared a screen shot of the police statement on its Twitter page, claiming that it originally included a description of how the tyres are let down, which it joked served as a "handy guide". The existing statement has no mention of the method used by the campaign group.
The group has targeted the vehicles across the country and in Bristol on multiple occasions, as part of a campaign to encourage people to take action against urban SUVs to help achieve climate change. Last week a Clifton SUV owner who was targeted said it left him "p***** off" and that it would not encourage him to get rid of his vehicle.
Referencing action in Scotland last night, the group wrote on Twitter this morning: "We are making it impossible to own a huge climate-wrecking tank in the world's urban areas."
Sign up for our What's On in Bristol newsletter packed with essential stories to help you make the most of living in the city
