Video bid to catch road blaze yobs
FIREFIGHTERS have been asked to do ‘drive-bys’ to capture images of youths at an anti-social hotspot after a gang set the road alight in front of cars.
Crews have hit out at the dangerous practice after they were called to Houldsworth Street, Reddish, on Thursday evening at 8.30pm.
And, following antisocial behaviour in the area, police have asked firefighters to use video cameras fitted to their engines to capture pictures of those responsible.
The latest spate saw a gang on bikes squirt petrol or lighter fluid in front of cars and set it alight. This was eventually reported by a motorist.
Steve Holland, crew manager at Whitehill station, said: “We are having a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour, this time it was with flammable liquid on front of cars. I can’t believe they would do that.
“It left scorch marks and has the potential to cause massive injury. If it goes back on their clothes it would cause massive burns and it could cause a further incident by startling drivers.
“When you go they give us verbals and attitude. Police have asked us to do drive-bys to get images with our CCTV to help identify who they are.”
Crew manager Holland’s watch alone have been called to the area three times in three shifts this week.
The size of the gang varies from eight to 20 often running to hide in nearby Elisabeth Mill when firefighters arrive.
The derelict building was the centre of antisocial behaviour problems in the area as long ago as last summer with up to a dozen incidents a week.
Many involved stones and concrete being thrown onto the road below. The mill has been boarded up but the protection has been ripped down.
Police and the council have met with residents in the area to discuss the problems, which have continued to bubble away.
Following this PC Ashley Clarke, from the north area police team, said in a letter to those in the area: “Whilst we are aware this has been a great inconvenience to residents the police have secured prosecutions against offenders who have damage at the site and to residents’ vehicle.
“Police and the (council’s) community safety unit are continuing work against perennial causers of anti-social behaviour.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
‘If it got on their clothes it would cause massive burns’