Man arrested after Metro pest reports
AN arrest has been made amid fears Metro ‘ticket touts’ are now targeting more stations.
Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus said police arrested a male suspect on Monday.
It came as Jesmond Residents’ Association issued a warning about the practice on Facebook.
Elsewhere on the system, passengers complained of “persistent” and “aggressive” strangers approaching them for their used ticket before selling them on.
Northumbria Police warned such behaviour on the system is illegal.
The JRA claims youngsters have been spotted “hanging around the Metro trying to sell Metro tickets”.
In a Facebook post, it added some people had been “approached” by them.
Nexus said neither Jesmond or West Jesmond are “known for being trouble spots”.
However a spokesperson confirmed: “A man was arrested last night in relation to antisocial behaviour at West Jesmond Metro station after a joint operation and is now the subject of legal proceedings.
“We are working closely with the police to target antisocial behaviour on the Metro.
“High-visibility patrols have been stepped up, especially in the evenings.
“Any customers who encounter begging or antisocial behaviour should report it to the police.
“CCTV can then be used to pinpoint the people who are loitering around the station. Jesmond, which is a staffed station, and West Jesmond are not generally known for being trouble spots on the Metro system and customers are assured that any incidents that do occur there will be investigated and dealt with.”
Earlier this year, Metro users in the Gateshead Stadium area also complained about the issue. A meeting heard ‘ticket beggars’ tried taking a female to a cash point in order to get cash, while others spat at passengers and threw punches.
No arrests were made, however.