Police step up their presence in Crescent

POLICE patrols are being stepped up this Easter in and around The Crescent following reports of gangs of youths hanging around the flagship centre, intimidating customers.

With the Easter break in full swing officers are working in partnership with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and retailers to clamp down on any anti-social behaviour which might be intimidating for holiday shoppers.

Sergeant Gary Butterworth from the Hinckley town centre dedicated neighbourhood team said: “Over recent weeks the Endeavour Team at the council and ourselves have seen a rise in the number of reports of ASB involving young people congregating in and around The Crescent, causing concern for retailers and people visiting the area.

“We work closely with the council and have issued a number of warning letters to parents of those suspected of being involved. We have identified nine young people who have been involved in more than one inci- dent and they are now being asked to sign ASB order contracts to reduce further incidents.

“We would ask parents to speak to their children about being considerate when they are out and about, so as not to cause unnecessary distress to others.”

Council staff will be joining police at the £60 million retail and leisure complex over the Easter holidays to provide extra support with patrols at key times.

In addition, the local authority has been working with security and retailers at the site to encourage reporting and improve rela- tionships between them those committing ASB.

The IMPACT team and Street Vibe youth engagement teams are also continuing to work with young people in the area to deter them from committing ASB in the future.

n If you are a victim or witness to ASB while visiting The Crescent report it to Leicestershire Police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. To find out more about what constitutes antisocial behaviour visit https:// leics.police.uk/advice-and-information/victims-witnesses/antisocial-behaviour and