Managing director of beleaguered MBM Building Services Peter Manley said he was poised to move out following the latest in a string of crimes to blight the Lady Lodge Arts Centre, in Orton Goldhay, where the company rents office space.

He also criticised centre owner Peterborough City Council for the lack of maintenance and care, which he says has seen the premises go to "rack and ruin".

His desperate plea was sparked followed a wrecking spree by vandals over the weekend at the centre, which saw them smash nine windows and a skylight.

The yobs' trail of destruction caused damage that will cost more than £1,000 to repair, and is on top of a burglary last month when computers worth £6,000 were stolen from the offices. Two weeks later, the raiders returned to steal the replacement computers.

Related: Lady Lodge Arts Centre: haven for anti-social behaviour

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Mr Manley said: "The vandals have really gone to town. There is not a building in this centre which doesn't have a broken window.

"We have staff in fear of being on their own at the site and not knowing what they will be facing every day. "

He said: "On Monday we could not even enter some of the rooms, the damage was that severe.

"The skylight overlooks the staff kitchen area, and when we opened the door, we could see massive shards of glass hanging down."

The council's own bill for the latest damage came to more than £2,000 for the repairs, and now there are fears for the future of the site.

Council head of strategic property Andrew Edwards said: "Clearly, the building has seen better days and was not helped by a recent fire on the site.

"However, we are exploring our options for the future potential of the building, and will be consulting with all concerned."

New sector police inspector Matt Snow said his team had been making door-to-door inquiries in the area since the first reports of the vandalism.

He said: "The damage was caused between 4.30pm on Friday and 4.30pm on Sunday. We are appealing for witnesses to come forward who may have seen people hanging about at this time."

Anyone with information should call police on 0845 456 4564, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Chief Constable Julie Spence defends youngsters
As yobs come under fire, young people have had a recent boost from a surprising source. Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Julie Spence took the opportunity in her latest podcast to stick up for the youth of today with the mes- sage "Don't malign the young" .

Although she is at pains to point out that she does not expect everyone to go out and "hug a hoodie" she does give some revealing statistics.

She said: "Just seven per cent of young persistent offenders are responsible for a staggering 83 per cent of offences, and did you also know that the rate of offending has not risen since 2001?.

"One of the most frequently-voiced complaints my officers hear in every community is that young people are the cause of most of the trouble,"she said.

"They are apparently responsible for all the loud noise, theft, criminal damage and violence in general, a menace to society.

"Each day, thousands of young people go to and from school and college in this county without offending

"Most are bright, committed and planning their futures in a way that earlier generations never did.

"Yes, of course, some hang around on street corners – even in the worst weather – make a noise and drive cars with annoyingly loud exhausts and music systems. But they are not committing crime."

Mrs Spence also uses the podcast to defend warning letters and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts.

She said: "Far from being useless – another popular myth – devices such as warning letters have been responsible for a 65 per cent drop in young people committing low-level offences.

Should a letter not work, an Acceptable Behaviour Contract is tried.

"Asbos are very often the last resort – and more than half are issued to adults."

For the full podcast visitwww.cambs.police.uk/rss/podcasts/podcasttext.asp?ID=67