A TEENAGE gang’s reign of terror in Darton has resulted in police vowing to take action to protect residents after reports of intimidation were made.

Officers involved in the crime reduction project relating to two areas - Dearne Street and Bridge Street - have started to gather information on the culprits and some suspected offenders have already been identified.

Residents have been receiving antisocial behaviour surveys this week after police instated the issue as a priority for them after a spate of crime, including criminal damage.

The matter, which was discussed by the public and Sergeant Dave Baines at a meeting last week, is also being assessed at the town’s behind-closed-doors MAAG (multi-agency action group), which includes police and council bosses, due to its severity.

Sgt Baines said: “We believe the offenders are coming into Darton from other areas and a whole host of issues have been reported to us.

“People have been identified and some really good work has been done already. We’re taking action but there’s a procedure to follow under the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

“We know what we’re up against as we’ve dealt with teenage gangs successfully before at places such as Canal Street, off Old Mill Lane in the town centre.”

According to the police, youngsters identified have already received visits at their homes and received antisocial behaviour warning letters.

Acceptable behaviour contracts have also been mooted, which are signed by the police, the offender and a parent or carer.

They include items which the youth must adhere to and, if they are caught being involved in any antisocial act, they will then be issued with a community protection notice (CPN) before court action can be pursued.

Police are keen to avoid a repeat of Canal Street, where long-running issues with teenage gangs plagued nearby residents and the neighbouring Asda store, where staff received threats and fireworks were set off in its entrance.

Although latest figures only go up to March, they show five violent-related offences have been reported to police this year, but statistics for April are expected to show an increase in criminal damage after residents claimed rocks had been thrown at multiple windows on the streets.

Each violent offence remains under investigation, according to the figures, and residents told police at last week’s meeting that they had been targeted having confronted the youths.

“I’d encourage residents to fill in the survey as the more information we have, the better equipped we’ll be,” Sgt Baines added.