A RESEARCHER into ’unreported roadside gun crime’ has highlighted Monmouthshire as an area recording increasing firearms damage to signs and notices.

Former Royal Marine, Andrew Rigsby launched Gunfire Graffiti UK as a gun crime research project that records and reports evidence of roadside gun crime, described as the discharge of firearms and shotguns into steel/alloy roadside structures and signs.

Mr Rigsby has spent the past decade documenting what he describes as the ’left-field subject’ of using road signs for target practice.

He has collected photographs from up and down the country which he says not only proves the firearms are out there, but show they are often being used recklessly, with bullets fired from moving cars.

He told the Chronicle, ’A recent visit to Monmouthshire revealed more roadside gunfire damage than ever. A report to the Gwent and Powys Police forces is in process. I have pictures of full bullet penetration locations close to the Blorenge. Absolutely shocking. These perpetrators have no fear of the law.’

He adds, ’Having handled firearms for over 45 years, escaping from a random shooting incident in Spain in 1975 and completing a very active military career in the 1980’s I hope I can be considered qualified to research and comment.

Mr Rigsby suggests a lack of awareness and ’gun savvy’ in the UK makes it easy for the perpetrators to illegally experiment and rehearse with all types of firearms.

He states, ’Shootings are often from within the confines of passing vehicles. The UK has strict gun laws but many of these shootings reveal the use of firearms that are banned from legal ownership. I refer to the result of bullet penetration, impact, shotgun penetration and pattern blast in public places as "signatures".

He has recorded 587 sites in total in the UK and Northern Ireland where guns are suspected of being used to damage road signs and published his first book, Gunfire Graffiti - Overlooked Gun Crime in the UK, in 2012, under the pseudonym Matt Seiber.

A narrow escape many years ago developed his interest in the topic. ’I was a victim of a random shooting in Spain in 1975 and got away,’ he said. Gunfire damage on street signs has appeared before violent attacks in the past. Michael Ryan, who killed 16 people in Hungerford in 1987 is known to have driven around at night shooting at road signs before he carried out the massacre.’

A spokesperson for Gwent police told the Chronicle, ’This hasn’t been reported to us, but Gwent Police would like to encourage residents who witness vandalism or anti-social behaviour in the area, to please call 101 or send a direct message to our Gwent Police Facebook or Twitter social media pages.’