A TEENAGE gang’s reign of terror has resulted in police vowing to step up action after a supermarket’s security guard was threatened with a hammer and yobs threw fireworks into the store.
Asda on Old Mill Lane has been plaqued by the young yobs, aged about 16, who have already been turfed out of the town centre after being issued with civil injunctions banning them.
At a police meeting held at the supermarket this week, Asda staff and more than a dozen residents who live on nearby Canal Street turned up to complain about the physical and verbal abuse the teens have been dishing out.
The meeting was told that a security guard was confronted by hammer-wielding thugs last weekend, while young children playing on Canal Street have been attacked and a motorcyclist who attempted to intervene was knocked to the floor having been hit over the head with his own helmet.
One employee said: “This has been going on for too long and we’re fearful that someone will be seriously injured it’s getting to the point where it will all pop. The gang think they’re untouchable.
“We’ve had the hammer incident and fireworks thrown at us we don’t need that in our place of work and where thousands of people come every week to do their shopping.”
A resident, who did not wish to be named, told the meeting her daughter had been hit by a brick thrown by the gang, and threats to smash windows are commonplace.
“I know Asda is having it bad but our kids, who are ten-year-olds playing out, are being targeted for simply being on the street,” she said.
“It’s disgusting my daughter was hit on June 27 but we’ve seen them mounting the kerb, riding motorbikes on the path and threatening to run them over. They’re braying kids, who aren’t safe on their own doorstep, and they’re committing serious offences. If anyone stands up to them, as any parent would, they threaten to smash your windows.”
Although police figures for recent incidents in the area have not yet been published, statistics throughout 2017 show a steady increase in antisocial behaviour and criminal damage which relates to car windows being smashed.
The matter, which has been discussed for months at public police meetings, is now a priority for the area’s neighbourhood policing team and at the town’s behind-closed-doors MAAG (multi-agency action group), which includes police and council staff.
Cath Fairweather, the council’s community safety team leader, said: “It has been a problem for years and it won’t be fixed overnight, but I can assure residents individuals are being dealt with.
“It’s being done in the correct manner and although it might be frustrating, nothing appears to have been done, it is something we are very much aware of.”
Sgt Dave Baines added: “The people causing problems are known to us and they will be dealt with. We want to put an exclusion zone all around the area as it’s been an area of concern for a long time.
“We can’t be in the location 24/7, but we have had lots of officers there and this will continue because of what residents and staff have told us.
“We know who’s responsible and they will be put before the courts.”
