A red paint attack on a property in Walthamstow may have been carried out by two women, The Standard has been told.
Sources with close knowledge of the incident, which happened around 4am last Friday, believe that two people caught on CCTV may have played key roles.
The Standard revealed last week that a maisonette in Lea Bridge Road had its front door covered in red paint and had the word “brothel” scrawled on it several times.
This was the ninth similar incident in or around Walthamstow – and the latest in a growing number of red paint attacks that have been seen nationwide.
Inquiries by The Standard have established the theory that two people who were spotted on CCTV wearing masks at the time of the attack were both Chinese women who may have had links to the property.
Initially it had been thought that the hooded person seen daubing and throwing paint was a man – and that a woman caught at the end of the attack on CCTV was simply a passer-by.
However, local sources believe that the two people, who had made attempts to conceal their identities, were both Chinese women and were both involved in the attack.
Asked whether police were pursing this line of inquiry, a Met police spokeswoman said on Monday that she was unable to disclose further information.
The attackers are thought to have arrived and fled on foot and to have transported the red paint to the property in a shopping trolley.
Sponges used to smear the paint on the front door – and onto an adjacent maisonette and neighbouring businesses – were discovered in a nearby front garden last Friday afternoon.
Workmen from Waltham Forest council arrived on Friday afternoon to remove the paint and graffiti with high-power water jets.
Locals claim that men of Chinese heritage had previously been seen entering the property.
On the morning of the attack, a man of Chinese heritage emerged from the flat and began trying to remove the red paint and graffiti.
Associates of the man also visited the property on Friday to survey the damage.
It is thought that the landlord of the maisonette has asked the man to vacate the property. A woman was also seen inside on Friday morning.
Academics have previously said that “red paint splashing” is a tactic regularly used by loan sharks in Hong Kong and cities in mainland China to remind people to pay their debts or to intimidate rivals.
CCTV images obtained by The Standard showed a hooded attacker smear the street-level front doors of two maisonettes with the paint, then move down the street to spread paint onto neighbouring businesses.
A William Hill bookmaker, a coffee shop and a Turkish barber’s shop also had red paint thrown at their windows or shutters.
The Met police said that officers had visited the scene of the attack last Friday afternoon, “after reports of vandalism”.
The Met said: “An investigation is underway and no arrests have been made at this stage.
This is the ninth similar incident of vandalism in the area. Officers are exploring whether they are all linked.
“We understand the concern in the community and are increasing patrols, anyone with any information is encouraged to call 101 referencing CAD 3584/15MAY25.”
