News Town to rid anti-social behaviour
People in Snaith could resort to vigilante tactics if problems are not tackled soon, a businessman said on Monday night.
The warning came as more than 50 residents and councillors attended a public meeting about anti-social behaviour around the town.
People reported a long list of problems, including under-age drinking, abusive language, vandalism, theft, sexual activity, urinating in the street and egg- and stone-throwing.
Some people said they were happy with the response from the police but several expressed frustration that the police did not have a greater presence.
David Blundell, of DB Motors, on Selby Road, said: "Over the last few months, DB Motors and the car sales business have been involved in at least 11 malicious incidents, totalling thousands of pounds. We do not exaggerate.
"We get the feeling we do not get the assistance and support that we should. I feel quite strongly that unless something is done soon, there are people in Snaith who will resort to vigilante-type behaviour.
"Law-abiding, tax-paying people should not be exposed to this sort of behaviour."
Several people indicated that they agreed with Mr Blundell, and one said they resented having to pay for a lengthy phone call to an 0845 number to report crime.
"Why can't we get a direct rate to our local police?" they asked.
Another resident asked: "Where are the parents of these kids who are doing it?
"I've seen parents dropping their kids off. They get out of the car with cans of beer." It was established that the problems were often caused by teenagers from out of town.
In response to suggestions that teenagers often hang around Snaith School, head teacher Jean Pickerall said: "Our problem is that it is an open site.
"If anyone rings us up and tells us, we respond and we have dealt with incidents. We work with the police to identify students - we can use little clues like the colour of a coat. But we can't work in isolation."
Mrs Pickerall said she could speak to parents but was often told to mind her own business when she rang to tell them of a complaint about their child. "I get quite a lot of abuse," she said. "But I will keep doing it."
Another member reported seeing two children, who do not attend the school, on the site of Snaith Primary School on Christmas Day morning.
Several people, including men, said they felt too intimated by the groups of youths to go out at night, and one reported that his teenage son was too frightened to do so.
Chairing the meeting, Cllr Frank Townshend said he had deliberately not invited the police as the town council wanted to gauge the level of feeling about the problems without it becoming confrontational.
Inspector Michael Bower had chosen to attend the meeting and said he was willing to answer questions if the council wanted him to. It was agreed he should answer just two, and the police should attend another meeting for a dedicated question-and-answer session.
In response to a questions about punishing the parents of the young offenders, Insp Bower replied that the police could only work within the current system, which looked to punish the offenders, not the parents.
He also said that the neighbourhood police were not there to provide rapid response, but to help with slow-time incidents.
"They are driven by demand," he stressed. "There has to be identifiable evidence of demand. If we're not aware of it, and the anti-social people are not aware of it, we can't do anything about it."
Councillors urged people to report all instances of anti-social behaviour, however minor, and to consider doing this outside Friday and Saturday nights, which are the busy periods.
The number to call is 0845 6060 222.
Published on 7th February 2008 in News.
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