Evenwood’s John Smith had two of his lofts vandalised at the back of the village football pitch earlier this month.
Locks were broken, wooden panels buckled and a two foot ornamental owl designed to scare away hawks was also pinched.
Mr Smith, 69, said it was the second time he’d had to repair his crees in the past two months.
He added: “It’s terrible – I’ve had it twice with new locks.
“It’s unbelievable – they pinched my big ornamental owl and I dare not put the other one out now.
“Over the past year the number of locks I’ve had to pay for is unbelievable.”
Fortunately, there were no pigeons taken from the cluster of lofts.
Mischief makers have caused other problems on the neighbouring allotments in the past couple of months.
Villager and plot holder Chris Geddes had his 75 metre hosepipe taken at the start of the summer.
He said: “Fortunately it only cost £30 – there is a bit of damage to a fence kicked down.
“I think it’s only kids – I don’t think it’s proper thieves.
“I put a lot of my spare time into the allotment away from work – if mine got trashed I’d be devastated.”
Mr Smith has lived in Evenwood since 1971 and kept birds on the land near the recreation ground for the past five decades.
The former painter and decorator was forced to give up keeping canaries on the site after they were taken a couple of years ago.
He believed the situation had deteriorated.
Mr Smith added: “They took the door off to get to them. It’s the damage they do – I have never known it like this, it’s serious.”
A bid to install a CCTV camera at the nearby cricket club stalled after Evenwood Parish Council said it needed to carry out more consultations with villagers amid fears of breaches to the Human Rights Act.
Mr Smith liked the idea of using the cameras to catch vandals and prevent trouble.
“They reckon the cricketers could put a camera up to cover this area as well,” added Mr Smith.
“I would welcome that – we need some security and I wish they would do it.”
Mr Geddes, who manages Evenwood Town FC, also supported calls for a camera but said he could understand both sides’ point of view in putting up CCTV.
He added: “I think it would aid the community – I am happy to have one covering the park and the football ground but I understand the parish council have paths they have to go down.
“I agree with John – it would really benefit us as long as signage is put up.
“If the football, the park and the allotment can be covered it may stop it a little bit.”
Pigeon racing is a pastime in decline with just a handful training their birds in Evenwood nowadays.
However, it takes just as much time and dedication as it once did.
One fancier has put up a £200 wooden fence to keep out trespassers but Mr Smith said others have had similar fencing torn down.
He added: “Last year another loft got broken into – it’s not on.
“When we lived in Witton Park you could leave your front door open and you could leave your pigeons – you would never have any break-ins.”
Anyone with information which could help trace the culprits should call Bishop Auckland Police on 101.
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