Arrests in hunt for yobs
TWO children have been arrested as police clamp down on anti-social yobs in Cheadle.
Gangs of youths have been making residents’ lives a misery over the past few weeks – shouting abuse, causing damage and shoplifting from local businesses.
Each time police are called the group scarpers, before finding a new place to cause trouble nearby.
Residents say they are playing ‘cat and mouse’ with officers, and that enough is enough.
Sergeant Chris Evans, from GMP’s Stockport borough, says that patrols have been stepped up and that they are doing ‘everything they can’ to find those responsible for the disruption.
He confirmed that as part of their investigations a boy, aged 13, and a 15-year-old girl have been arrested and are now on bail.
Other teenagers have been questioned, and CCTV is being reviewed.
Sgt Evans said: “We are aware of residents’ concerns and understand it can be distressing for those living in the area but I want to reassure them we are doing everything we can to clamp down on this.
“As part of our enquiries we have arrested a 13-year-old boy on suspicion of a public order offence and a 15-year-old girl who was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and a public order offence.
“We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously and we are doing everything we can to find those responsible.
“A dispersal order was put in place the previous weekend to stop the youths from gathering together in the area and we are looking to put another in place this weekend.
“We have also stepped up patrols in the area and are considering whether other powers, such as community behaviour orders, may be introduced.
“I would urge anyone with any information about those responsible to please call police on 101 and I would continue to urge residents to report the incidents to us.”
It comes after the Express published footage of more than a dozen boys and girls pointlessly smashing flower pots across a car park on Lav- ington Avenue on Friday night.
It’s understood the pots actually belonged to the girl guides and that the vandals had climbed over a fence around their hut to get them.
Police were called just before 8pm, and a dispersal order was put in place for Lavington Avenue and surrounding streets until 8.30pm the following evening.