Storekeeper targets bad CBD behaviour

Matthew Lane says the harassment and bad behaviour needs to stop.

The manager of United Video in Porirua’s CBD has lived in the city for 48 years.

He said there had been spikes in fighting, harassment and begging in the city centre over the years, but it had got particularly bad in recent months.

Lane has organised a petition asking Porirua City Council to consider a bylaw banning loitering in the city centre.

Many of the nearby retailers are supporting him and Lane has set the petition up online as well.

‘‘A bylaw will give the police and council more authority than what we have at the moment,’’ he said. ‘‘Right now, you can call the police if kids are harassing people or swearing or whatever, and they get moved on. But the kids come back, so a harder solution is needed.’’

Some of the incidents he and his staff have witnessed include young people selling what appeared to be stolen phones, spitting and loud swearing, begging for money and cigarettes, shoplifting, and frequent harassment and intimidation of customers.

‘‘The council has plans to make the CBD nicer and look what the Canopies coming down has done [to improve the environment],’’ he said. ‘‘ But new businesses won’t come here if these young kids are allowed to keep on doing what they are doing. People feel unsafe.’’

Porirua mayor Nick Leggett said the council would feel duty- bound to accept any petition and commended Lane for highlighting the issue.

However, he felt a bylaw was ‘‘ using a sledgehammer to break a peanut’’.

‘‘ We’re talking about the same 15 or so young people and we can deal with this in a far softer way,’’ he said. ‘‘ This is about the community embracing the city centre and there can be a more effective solution to say it’s not something we will put up with.

‘‘I’m not sure a bylaw, which needs to be enforced by the police anyway, is the right answer, but it’s good to be having the discussion.’’

Acting Kapiti Mana Police area commander Donna Rider said her staff had not noticed a trend upwards in bad behaviour, but there were incidents from time to time.

Foot patrols by police through the CBD had increased in the past few years and the police would continue to have a regular presence, she said.

Lane said he would run the petition for the next fortnight and then present it to Leggett or the council.

To find the petition, Google search ‘‘ clean up the canopies petition’’.