Anti-social youngsters told: ‘Stop The Drop’
RUNCORN police have launched a ‘Stop The Drop’ campaign in a bid to thwart a recent trend of youths dropping items from bridges at passing traffic.
Inspector Mike Skillen said incidents since the start of the year have included a bus having its window smashed, a car window being scratched near Halton General Hospital and projectiles being thrown at vehicles near The Windmill pub in Windmill Hill and also from above Spur Road, hitting the car but causing no damage.
Items thrown have ranged from hard objects such as a drainpipe to milk shake, which was splattered onto cars near Trident Retail Park.
In some incidents the impacts have caused a loud bang.
Insp Killen said buses are frequent targets but cars have also been damaged.
He said a police youth engagement officer is now liaising with Halton Borough Council and creating a presentation to take place in schools.
Seized items can be sent for forensic analysis and culprits can face prosecution for criminal damage or throwing an item into a carriageway, he added.
Witnesses have been asked to report details such as location, time and date, age of culprit, height, description, uniform and object dropped to police.
Stop The Drop comes one year on from a joint appeal by the Mersey Gateway bridge construction team and the police for parents to speak to their children over objects being thrown at builders and vehicles, with those responsible risking the safety of themselves and others.
With pupils now off for the week, police are now targeting hotspots.
Insp Killen said: “The schools are on half term at the moment so we are making the area around Trident Retail Park and Halton Lea our priority for ASB (antisocial behaviour), as a lot of the incidents take place in this area.
“With regards to seizing the items – anything seized will be ● kept and potentially sent for forensic analysis so I wouldn’t have access to it for a photo. Offences would be criminal damage or attempt criminal damage and there is an offence relating to throwing an item into a carriageway.
Anyone with any information about the culprits or incidents can call Cheshire police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.