Change of tactic by police to tackle rise in yobbish behaviour

VIDEO SPOTTERS BROUGHT IN

Crime Reporter VIDEO ‘spotters’ will be deployed by police to tackle young yobs causing trouble.

Officers have been attempting to curb the bothersome behaviour of troublesome teens in an area of Newcastle over recent weeks.

And in a bid to bring the worst of the youths to book police have decided to deploy the type of video equipment that is normally only used at football matches, riots or large-scale demonstrations.

In recent weeks officers from Northumbria Police’s Newcastle North Neighbourhood Policing Team have noticed a steady increase in youth antisocial behaviour in Westerhope.

They have been called to incidents where as many as 100 children have been loitering near the Chapel House Shops, outside Westerhope Community Association and around the Barbondale Lonnen areas.

Many of the children have been socialising with friends and have not caused any issues, police say.

But a section of the group have been responsible for serious vandalism, drinking in the street and intimidating members of the community.

Officers have been told that the children are being dropped off in Westerhope by their parents, who believe they are meeting friends.

Now Neighbourhood Inspector Karen Murray has said the force will be using video spotters to catch those responsible for the more serious offending.

The specialist kit is normally only utilised at football matches or large scale demonstrations but this week it will be used to catch those involved in the anti-social behaviour.

She said: “Cars have been damaged, local playgrounds have been vandalised and local residents have been shouted at and intimidated by some teenagers. We have seen as many as 100 children loitering in the area and the majority of them have been dropped off by parents or travelled there on public transport. Most of the children have behaved but a handful of these children are committing serious criminal offences and we have to take more serious action.

“As we approach Bonfire Night we will be adopting video spotters who will be deployed with our neighbourhood officers to film incidents of anti-social behaviour to which we are deployed.

“These young people should be aware that if we catch you on these videos committing criminal offences then we will take action and your parents will be informed.

“We would also ask parents to make sure that they know what their children are doing and, if they are travelling to Westerhope, they are not getting into trouble.

“Nobody should feel intimidated in their own community and we will continue to work hard to make our region a safer place to live.”