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Residents advised to repair vandals' damage

7:10am Monday 22nd March 2010 in


PEOPLE whose walls have been destroyed by a gang of unruly teens have been warned to clear up the bricks they left behind – or be liable if anyone gets injured.

Police community support officers (CSOs) have knocked on doors along a road in the Arboretum telling owners to pick up bricks left strewn down the alleyways behind their homes despite the fact it is the residents who are the victims of criminal damage.

The residents who surround the alleyways, in Lower Chestnut Street, Chestnut Street, Wolverton Road and Woodland Cottages, say it is the latest insult after years of putting up with anti-social behaviour.

“They said we’re responsible to get the walls fixed, but it’s them that have damaged them,” said a resident. “They said we would get prosecuted if someone got hurt.”

However, police say they have only offered “some friendly advice” to one particular person, adding they are taking concerns seriously with PC Julie Jones patrolling the troublespot every night for the past week.

Locals have complained every evening teens run riot in the alleyways near the canal, drinking, smoking, swearing and – according to one resident – having sex.

They claim the youths are now so comfortable they will stand in the road talking openly about where they are going to buy drugs.

People have had to clear up needles.

Fences have been destroyed and the garden walls are being slowly dismantled and the bricks are used to smash windows in the area.

People have suggested blocking off the alleyway themselves to solve the problem, but have been told this would go against access rights.

It means they cannot prevent the walls being damaged, so people could get hurt should a wall collapse.

“We are embroiled in too much red tape,” said another resident. “These teens have no respect for anyone's property, or their peers or parents.”

Local policing sergeant John Lawrence said: "Bricks from an adjacent wall were in the alleyway and a CSO did give the owner of the wall some friendly advice.

“She pointed out he could be liable if anyone injured themselves as a result of the bricks being left in the alleyway and it would be in his own interests to move them.

“We have recieved a lot of positive feedback from residents on all of the ongoing work by police and other agencies.”

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Comments(6)

ju1976 says...
8:23am Mon 22 Mar 10

This has been going on for the fast two years. People are verbally abused when walking into their own homes. I was parking my car one day whilst visting my parents and some Asisan youths started jumping over my bonnet....When they were asked to get off my car, i was verbally abused. I phoned the Police and they never came. My parents have been threatened by these youth's. The CSO's hang around the alley ways making friends with these youths rasther than moving them on.... There once was a great sense of community and this has been destroyed. I ASK THE QUESTION LIKE I HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST TWO YEAR'S WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE POLICE DOING TO RESOLVE THE YOUTH CULTURE AND DRUG DEALING OUT OF THE ALLEY WAYS IN THE ARBORETUM. Because so far nothing has been done. If you walk in the alley after nine....There is Rizla, broken cigerettes and the aroma of cannabis.... The police presence is low in the Arboretum.
Originally the alley way belonged to the residents but the council decided they were there property approx 25 years ago. In the summer of last year the Council decided to put street lamps in the alley way without discussing with the residents and the alley ways then became like a youth centre.....
Again i ask what exactly are the POLICE doing...And the answer to that is NOTHING!!!!!

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jb says...
9:31am Mon 22 Mar 10

A CSO patrolling the area for one week during the evenings is such a weak response to this problem. They have no powers and by the contents of the gentlemans complaint about youths verbally abusing him what would they expect a powerless CSO to face? Get the regulars and Specials down there again, officers with the authority to deal with individuals and get to know the faces of the regulars who are haunting the area. It's not rocket science it's just policing which seems to have died off over the years. I can see that the residents should be made aware of the damage to the walls and the legallity of it is they would be liable for any problems arising from this but how come it's all put on them and they haven't been given the support that they deserve from the LPT?

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Hawlev says...
11:55am Mon 22 Mar 10

Usual rubbish, call the police and they either don't turn up or even if they do its usually to late and when they do turn up its usually 'well there is nothing we can do', over the past few years we've had large gangs of youths roaming the streets damaging cars, throwing things at the windows. On some occassions its taken over a hour for police to turn up, other times they don't turn up at all. My neighbours car had a slab thrown through the rear window, the police didn't turn up even though they rang 3 times, the following day the police rang up gave them a crime number for the insurance and that was it. No wonder we all have so much trouble, these vandals know the police probably won't turn up and even if they do it will take ages as there is very rarely a Police presence in Droitwich. Its time to make changes in the force or this problem will just continue to escalate and the only people getting into trouble will be the poor people who are being victimised. How long will it be before people have enough and try to sort it out themselves, but then the police will be there to prosecute them.

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lowlybarnacle says...
11:56am Mon 22 Mar 10

If the householders have home insurance it should have around £1million of liability cover as an individual or householder.

This is one of the first things I look for when taking out insurance. The more risks I can insure and eliminate the better, especially with the increasingly litigious nature of society.

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Logik says...
1:21pm Mon 22 Mar 10

Nu-Labours PCSO's are about as much use as a cardboard cut-out. These oiks know full well they can do as they please without fear of consequence.
.
If perchance the Police turn up the legal system will be so lenient with them that it is hardly worth the effort - perhaps that's why they don't bother to turn up.

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Jabbadad says...
1:35pm Mon 22 Mar 10

Never mind insurance, Ju1976 shouldn't have to put up with this gang culture, whether from Asian lads or not.
These Asian lads hide behind the race-card, whether at school or on the streets, and this has been happening for at least 18 years or so. At that time there were gangs of Asian lads at Nunnery Wood school, who when in gangs were beating up the local kids. My son was coming home wth story's of this treatment and when I asked if the teachers knew he said yes but that the local kids were not to retaliate as it would be classed as a racist act of violence.
I told my son to retaliate and let these Asian lads know that I would go up to the school if there was trouble. He never was troubled again.
These gangs of Back Alley Warriors, need to understand that the law in the UK applies equally for everyone.

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BRICKS AND MORTAR: Walls have been dismantled in alleyways at Chestnut Street and Lower Chestnut Street in Arboretum. BRICKS AND MORTAR: Walls have been dismantled in alleyways at Chestnut Street and Lower Chestnut Street in Arboretum.

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