Police to ride shotgun on yob hit buses
AFTER an alarming rise in teenage anti-social behaviour, which has seen a driver attacked, police are to provide on board security on some buses in Stockport.
Officers were called to Lower Bents Lane, Bredbury, on Monday afternoon after a yob who was challenged for not having a ticket smashed a bus window and assaulted its driver.
A 15-year-old arrested in connection with the incident was also arrested on Thursday morning following a disturbance at McDonalds at Grand Central, in central Stockport.
Youths had been abusing staff and customers, then threatened to attack police who were called and smash-up their cars. There have been reports of anti-social behaviour across Stockport.
POLICE will provide on board security on some buses in Stockport following an alarming rise in teenage anti-social behaviour which has seen a driver attacked.
Officers were called to Lower Bents Lane, Bredbury, on Monday afternoon after a yob who was challenged for not having a ticket smashed a bus window and assaulted its driver.
A 15-year-old who was arrested in connection with the incident was also arrested on Thursday morning following a disturbance at McDonalds at Grand Central, in central Stockport.
Youths had been abusing staff and customers, then threatened to attack police who were called and smash up their cars.
There has been reports of anti-social behaviour across Stockport in areas including Brinnington, Edgeley and Cheadle, as well as other incidents such as stone throwing targeting buses.
In response police, council, Stockport Homes and the youth offending service met on Monday to discuss tactics to crack down on the problem.
Sergeant Phil Lowe, from Stockport police, said: “I have committed to putting my staff on the buses at key times to assist with passenger and driver safety, officers from the Special Constabulary have also volunteered their time to provide police staffing.
“Arrests and prosecutions will continue to be made where there are offences. My team will be tasked to threat areas. This will continue until the matter is resolved.”
Because of the large number of youths involved in the McDonalds incident and hostility to attending extra police officers a dispersal notice was issued for Grand Central and Stockport bus station.
A 14-year-old has been arrested for breaching it.
Other tools the police will use include acceptable behaviour contracts and criminal behaviour orders.
In Cheadle a gang has been smashing bus stops, shop and car windows, verbally abusing people and hurling stones at cars.
A 53-year-old man made a citizens arrest of a 15-year-old on Cheadle High Street after stones were thrown at his car.
The man, who did not want to be named, said: “The gang has been terrorising the area for the last two weeks, they go on the rampage and people are scared of them.
“I grabbed one guy and was set upon by the rest and punched in the face. I wasn’t fazed, it is deplorable but people should be able to go about their business without this sort of thing happening.”
The 15-year-old arrested in connection with the bus attack has been bailed until February 16.
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.