The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Police target drink-fuelled teenage gangs
Police have declared a blitz on drunken teenage gangs in Perth city centre, amid a worrying rise in anti-social behaviour and violent crime.
Officers say there is growing concern that more and more youngsters gathering on the streets of the Fair City are arming themselves with knives and other weapons.
And there has been a recent spate of reports of elderly people being shouted at, verbally abused and intimidated by gatherings of “hundreds” of r o w d y, drink-fuelled youngsters.
Matters came to a head last month, when a 15-yearold boy was stabbed while out with friends. Police said the youngster nearly died.
Police Scotland yesterday announced Operation Stung to clampdown on anti-social behaviour over the winter months.
Officers will ramp up patrols in hang-out spots in the city centre, Moncreiffe Island and both south and north inches. They will also target shops selling alcohol to under-18s.
Meanwhile Perth and Kinross Council, street pastors and community wardens will offer advice and support to youngsters, while signposting them to youth work activities they could take part in.
With house parties banned, there has been an increase in outdoor gatherings.
A police spokesman said: “Police contact with young people routinely finds they
are under the influence of alcohol, often to the extent they are incapable of looking after themselves or others.
“Yo u n g people are regularly conveyed home to a parent or carer, and on some occasions arrested due to their conduct towards the officers.”
Chief Inspector Graham Binnie, Perth and Kinross
Local Area Commander, said that parents should play their part in the operation.
“Po l i c e o ff i c e r s will always target those responsible for violence and those who wish to supply alcohol or controlled substances to young people in contravention of current legislation,” he said.
“Our intention is also to
keep young people on the periphery of anti- social behaviour and violence safe and involve young people more in responses to community and policing issues, particularly in light of the constraints apparent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”
He urged parents to make sure they knew where their children are.