“204 dispensers were vandalised and the acts of vandalism started right after their placement, getting worse in the last three weeks”, stressed the municipality.

In May, the Cascais Town Hall (Lisbon district) installed 400 vending machines with packs of four masks for one euro.

"We are going to install 400 mask dispensers, 'vending' machines that will be spread across the entire territory of the municipality," said then the mayor, Carlos Carreiras (PSD).

According to the autarchy, this is “pure vandalism”, since the municipality has free distribution of masks for those who are in economic difficulties or unemployed.

"These are acts that embarrass us, as a community, perpetrated by criminals who weaken the fight against the pandemic that is being carried out by all people in the city, and which subtract resources from those who need them most," he said.

Facing also thefts from dispensers, the Câmara de Cascais did not want to identify the places where the most acts of vandalism are verified.

“We have a problem as a community and it is as a community that we are going to solve it. We will not launch anathema and prejudice on Cascais neighbourhoods or parishes”, he maintained

The municipality added that the municipal company Cascais Proxima - manager of the dispensers - is placing the warning “For reasons of vandalism this equipment is out of service” on damaged machines until they are replaced or repaired.